Empty
by LynnWeasley
Summary: Cedric Diggory and Lynn Vogel had been best friends for ever but when they were placed into different houses their friendship faded away. He promised her this would never happen and now she hates him because it did. But does he feel the same way?
1. Prologue

Quick note: This fanfic is set in the Triwizard tournement, the prologue is just a flash-back.

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___Prologue_

_We held hands as we followed the woman in the emerald green robes. Cedric Diggory, my best friend in the whole wide world, knew about magic and also about Hogwarts long before me. I felt rather betrayed the first time I found out; why hadn't he told me about it before? But later his dad (who was also a wizard) told me that it is against the law to tell muggles (non magic people) about magic, of course at the time they didn't know I was a witch. The woman in the emerald green robes (I think she said her name was McGonagall) grabbed something from behind her (an old hat?) and put it on a stool._

_The room was completely silent when all of a sudden the hat started singing:_

"_Years come years go,_

_Everyday the students grow,_

_My life 'till now has been long,_

_And believe me, I know where you belong._

_If your heart is loyal and true,_

_Hufflepuff is the place for you!_

_With pride and honor you will always show,_

_The royal colors black 'n yellow._

_Ah, but if proving yourself is more important to you,_

_I know just what to do;_

_Put you in Slytherin, it's where you belong,_

_And your house will be your home all year long._

_But if this is not the case,_

_And your heart and brain belong in another place,_

_Do you seek knowledge and are you bright?_

_Ravenclaw will help you to see the light._

_And last but not least,_

_If you are brave enough to slay a beast,_

_Gryffindor is where your heart lies,_

_Here you'll find most of your allies._

_If you don't yet know where you belong,_

_Do not fret I'll place you at the end of this song."_

_The entire room started to clap forcing me to let go of Cedric's hand. I clapped along and looked at Cedric; he looked like he was enjoying himself already; he already fit in and belonged here. He looked at me and asked, "What's wrong?"_

"_I don't belong here, that hat is probably going to tell me that there is no magic in me and then it'll send me home and I'll lose you as friend for ever," I answered. _

"_You'll never lose me as friend," he smiled._

"_Diggory, Cedric!" McGonagall shouted and I watched Cedric approach the stool on which the hat lay. McGonagall placed the hat on top of his head. The hat was slightly too big and covered almost all of Cedric's face. After a few seconds the hat screamed, "You belong in Hufflepuff!" _

_Many people were sorted before McGonagall finally said, "Vogel, Lynn!"_

_I approached the stool and let McGonagall put the hat on my head. It covered my eyes and for a few moments everything was completely black._

"_Oh my," a voice said right in my ear, "you have a very complicated mind indeed. You enjoy proving yourself and there is a lot of knowledge here, yes, but we musn't forget bravery, hmm... Where shall I put you..?"_

"_Please let it be Hufflepuff," I though. It was as if the hat could hear my thoughts because it said, "Hufflepuff? I don't think you'd be happy there,"_

"_Please!" I thought. "Please you put my friend there!"_

"_No," said the hat calmly, "you do not belong in Hufflepuff." _

_There was a long silence, which was broken by an earsplitting roar; "YOU BELONG IN GRYFFINDOR!" screamed the hat._

_McGonagall removed the hat and I looked at the Hufflepuff table; Cedric was busily talking to a girl next to him not even bothered to clap like all the other students in the room and I knew, even though he promised it would never happen, I had lost my friend._

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**Authors****note**_**:**_ **so what do you think? Please review! (: **


	2. Chapter 1: Perfect Prefect

**Chapter 1: Perfect Prefect**

"Would all prefects please come to the prefects' compartment," an elderly woman's voice echoes throughout the entire train. I grunt and let my head fall back, why did Dumbledore have to pick me as prefect? I hate responsibility; everyone relies on you and if you even make one little mistake the entire world knows about it. Gradually I stand up and slide my compartment's door open with great effort, I say goodbye to Angelina Johnson, Fred and George Weasley and Lee Jordan and head toward the prefects' compartment.

I enter the already full prefects' compartment and get stared at by every prefect.

"Ah, good Miss. Vogel has _finally_ arrived," Eliot Moore says as I scowl at her inhumanly long crocked nose. Eliot must be the new head girl; she was a Ravenclaw prefect last year and has apparently gotten a promotion.

"Good to see you Moore, had a nice summer?" I ask, knowing that stalling time is her biggest annoyance.

"Sit down Miss. Vogel!" I roll my eyes and start looking around. There's only one free space. Oh Merlin, why do you do this to me? I walk towards the empty chair and sit down next to my least favorite person in the world: Cedric 'pretty boy' Diggory. Throughout the rest of the trip Eliot talks about duties and boring crap that she calls 'the rules', but I'm not really listing, my mind is too preoccupied with the person sitting next to me. I look at Cedric's (what many girls in my year call) perfect face and think about the many things I had to say to him.

"Miss Vogel! Would you please stop staring at Mr. Diggory and start paying attention!" every person in the room stares at me including pretty boy, who starts grinning smugly at me, so I roll my eyes at him meaning to say 'as if!'

"Now, Miss Vogel could you kindly tell me at what hour students aren't allowed to be in the corridors anymore?"

"Hmmmm let me think... Midnight?" I ask mockingly.

"Miss Vogel you and I both know that you know the answer since I've told you it repeatedly last year"—an evil smile spreads my face as I remember my unforgettable midnight strolls the previous year—" students should not be out of bed after ten O'clock!"

The elderly woman's voice echoes through the prefects' compartment informing us that the Hogwarts Express will be arriving soon. This was Moore's queue to hand out the prefect badges and the patrolling timetables to each prefect. As Moore reaches me she hesitates (clearly she doesn't want a rule-breaker as prefect) forcing me to grab my new belongings out of her hand. As I do so I smile up at her and laugh as she storms of with rage.

We are excused for the rest of the train ride and all the prefects immediately run for the compartment door, clearly I'm not the only person who thinks 'smelly Eli' is boring. I leave the compartment and head for the girls lavatory to change into my school robes. Not looking where I'm going I accidently bump into someone.

"Oh merlin! I'm so sorry!" I say as I look at the obstacle blocking my way to the lavatory; it's Cedric. "Never mind!" I say as I realize I really couldn't care less if I bumped into Cedric. "Move Diggory!"

"Now why would I do that? I thought you liked my presence, or was I mistaken and was it another Miss. Vogel who was staring at me?"

"Merlin, you're even more dimwitted than I thought! Look, I was only looking at you because you have a pimple on your nose and it's bothering me." He immediately runs to the bathrooms to check his nose and I smile, pleased with my accomplishment.

We arrive at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry precisely on time, as usual, and take the carriages pulled by thestrals to the castle. Normal people can't see thestrals only the ones who have seen death can and sadly I can see them crystal clear, but I don't like talking about that.

I aboard a carriage with Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet. As we are taking off the Weasley twins decide to join us together with my 'great pal', Diggory. I give Fred and George 'the evil eye' as we are taking off and continue doing this throughout the whole journey, not even bothering to listen to the conversations going on.

We arrive at the grand castle and I wait until everyone has stepped off of the carriage until doing so myself. I reach the back of the carriage and am ready to step off when an arm stops me.

"Not so fast malady." Cedric says as he offers his hand to help me get off. I roll my eyes and ignore his hand. While stepping I'm too concentrated on ignoring Cedric that I accidently fall face forward on the floor. I groan loudly, sounding a bit like a caveman, and try to get up when I see Cedric's hand again. I decide to take it this time and get up with very little force since all of it is coming from him.

"I look forward to our patrols together." he says with a cheeky smile and runs off without looking back. I quickly look at my patrolling timetable and see that I'm partnered with Cedric with all my shifts! _Oh Merlin why do you hate me?_

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**Authors Note: Please leave a review and tell me what you think. You'd make me very happy (:**_  
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	3. Chapter 2: When the clock strikes twelve

**Chapter 2**: When the clock strikes twelve

I enter the already quite full great hall and scan the Gryffindor house table to sit with my friends. I call them friends but I don't really think they like spending time with me; no one does. Except Fred and George, of course, we have the same kind of humor and always have fun together but Angelina, Katie and Alicia only hang out with me when the only people around are Gryffindors. I don't care, much, I mean, yes, I cared in the beginning but now I'm used to it, sort of. I consider Fred and George my best friends, they're like family and I love them dearly, though sometimes I miss having girlfriends who I can talk to about boys and stuff.

I spot where they are seated and start walking toward them catching pieces of their conversation.

"Why do we _always_ have to hang out with her?" Alicia asks Fred.

"She's really nice, okay, so don't talk about her like that!"

"She's a freak; she's always sarcastic and never happy! Throughout the five years I've known her I've never seen her smile, not once!" Katie now says.

"Katie, you know she's been through a lot. You wouldn't smile either if you'd been through even a fraction of what she has." George says becoming angry.

I try to put on my best fake smile and ask, "Can I join you guys?"

"We were just about to sit somewhere else." Fred and George say simultaneously. "Want to join?"

I smile and start following them. We find an empty space and I sit next to Fred across from Lee Jordan and George.

"Sorry about that. Did you hear what they said?" George asked and I nod slowly. "But we won't let anyone insult our lady friend even if she's a... What did Katie say, Fred?"

"A freak,"

"Ah, yes, even if she's a freak," I smile even though deep inside what Alicia and Katie had said hurt a lot.

"See that, George?" Fred asks. "She does smile!"

"Alicia must be delusional," George says.

"I should've known—"

"I mean, it's obvious isn't it?"

"She never laughs at our jokes—"

"—Never even chuckles—"

"—Or giggles—"

"—She doesn't even titter!"

"So there _has_ to be something wrong with her head." Fred finally says and we all start laughing.

Fred and George joke around attempting to cheer me up and forget about the Alicia and Katie when finally McGonagall walks in with the new first years. It seems like this years' lot is even smaller than last years' even though I was sure that that wasn't possible. I always love the expressions they wear when they see the great hall for the first time. Some look scared, some are smiling from ear to ear and some just look amazed. I catch a glimpse of a tiny girl with dirty-blonde hair who is staring open mouthed at the ceiling; her big, grey eyes are opened very widely and look somewhat familiar.

McGonagall and her army of first years stand still and the same ritual as every year takes place: she places the old hat on a stool, it sings about the houses (each year a different song) and then she calls out the names in alphabetical order. I never really pay attention at the sorting ceremonies so this year is no different. It isn't until McGonagall shouts, "Georgia Diggory," through the hall that my attention is drawn and I simply can't pull my eyes away from the tiny girl with dirty-blonde hair and big, grey eyes, I knew I recognized her and I'm surprised I did; I hadn't seen this girl in five years and the last time I saw her she was only six years old, but no one can forget those enormous, grey eyes.

She is very energized and eager to be sorted. She sits down on the stool with a smile that shows all her white, straight, pearly teeth, something that apparently runs in the family, and McGonagall places the hat on top of her head, but she is so tiny it covers almost her entire face. After three whole minutes the hat finally bellows, "YOU BELONG IN GRYFFINDOR!"

McGonagall takes off the hat and I see Georgia looking at Cedric, I recognize the look she gives him; it's the same look I gave him exactly five years ago; the look you wear when you're afraid you'll lose someone you love. Only she can't really lose her brother, she'll probably just have to miss him some days.

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I walk up to the common room with Fred and George; luckily it's up to the fifth year prefects to guide the tiny, first years to the common room. Although prefects get chosen when they are in their fifth year I was not; last year Lee Jordan and Alicia were the chosen prefects but Lee got sacked because he, Fred and George did too many pranks so instead of having a male gryffindor prefect Dumbledore chose me.

"So Lynn—" says Fred.

"—We were thinking—"

"—Could you, perhaps, help us with... a little joke?"

"I'm a prefect now so you know I can't," I say seriously but I end up laughing because that doesn't sound like me at all. "What are you planning and when?"

"Dungbombs—" says George.

"—Tomorrow night—"

"—In the dungeons,"

"I can't help you tomorrow but I'm on duty tonight in the entrance hall I could _maybe _cause a distraction," I say.

We've reached the portrait of the fat lady and I say, "Butterscotch!" to enter.

I spend the rest of my evening laughing and joking around with Fred and George in the common room when I see that it's already five past ten; I curse, say goodnight to the twins and start walking towards the exit.

"Oh yeah, at what time are you guys going to set of the bombs?" I ask.

"Eleven!" they call back simultaneously.

I crawl out of the portrait hole and head towards the entrance hall.

Cedric is already there wearing sweat-pants and a big navy blue jumper I look down and remember that I'd already changed into my pajamas, which consisted out of light blue shorts, a tight, black tank top and fluffy, light blue slippers.

"Nice outfit!" Cedric says mockingly as he sees me.

"Oh shut up, I forgot that we were on duty tonight and then I forgot I'd already changed into my pajamas,"

"Well I think you look beautiful." he says and this time I can't tell whether or not he is mocking me.

"So what exactly are we supposed to do?" I ask him.

"Oh yeah, you weren't a prefect last year. Well we're meant to look around and give out detentions to any student who we catch out of bed,"

"Sounds boring," I say.

"Oh, believe me it is, But luckily I have you as companionship." he says and I roll my eyes at him.

"I need you to help me with a prank, well not help me but Fred and George. So, can you help me help them with a prank?" I ask and he nods whilst laughing exposing his beautiful pearly white, straight teeth.

We sit on the stairs in silence and wait for Fred and George. Not one student has been out of bed yet and I'm beginning to wonder why on earth anybody would _want_ to become a prefect.

"Why do you hate me?" Cedric asks out of the blue destroying the peacefulness that hung over the Hogwarts grounds.

"If you don't know why yourself I'm not even going to bother answering that," I answer.

"So you don't have and answer?" he asks, a smile forming on his face.

"Believe me I have enough reasons to hate you," I say getting annoyed.

"You didn't always though—"

"Well you weren't always a jerk!" I say raising my voice.

"Het guys—" Fred says.

"—Sorry to ruin this... romantic conversation—"

"—But could you guys maybe cause that distraction now?"

I look at Cedric and he nods.

"Wait for ten minutes and then go to the dungeons," I say to the twins and Cedric and I start to run down the stairs towards the dungeons.

The two prefects patrolling the dungeons were two Hufflepuff girls; one was in her fifth year and the other in her seventh.

"We saw three boys running down these stairs." I say out of breath.

"They can't be far, help us look for them." Cedric says also panting but less. We lead the girls far away from the dungeons and when we're sure that Fred and George are gone we part and head back to our assigned locations.

When Cedric and I get back we both start laughing and sit back down on the stairs. I look at my watch; a quarter to twelve; only fifteen minutes to go. The entrance hall is cold and I start to shiver due to my lack of clothing.

"Here," Cedric hands me his jumper; he's wearing a muscle shirt which reveals his enormous arms.

"Thanks," I say quietly as I accept the sweater. His jumper is very warm and his scent lingers on it, which for some reason gives me a warm feeling in my stomach.

"Do you still think I'm a jerk now?" he asks.

"Oh, shut up," I answer and lightly punch his upper arm, which is as hard as a rock.

We say goodnight and head to our common rooms. I walk up the stairs and for once in my life I feel... Happy even though the cause of it may not be my usual source of happiness, but then again, nothing is my usual source of happiness besides Fred and George.

"Butterscotch." I say to the fat lady and I enter the common room. I only realize how tired I truly am when I enter the fifth year girls' room and fall face forward onto my bed and immediately drift off into a deep sleep.

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**Authors note: Another fairly short chapter. I promise the next one will be longer though. Please tell me what you think of the story so far (:**


	4. Chapter 3: Professor Moody

**Author's note: I tried really hard to finish a chapter today and now it's almost 11:30 P.M so you guys better enjoy this chapter haha (:****  
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**Chapter 3: **Professor Moody

I wake up, Cedric's scent is lingering in the air; I'm still wearing his navy blue jumper. I smile as I get the warm feeling in my stomach again but get angry at myself when I realize what this means.

"Ready to wake up the first years?" Alicia asks me when she realizes that I'm awake. One of the many jobs a prefect has is to wake up other students, normally the female prefects would wake up the females and the males the males, but seeing there is no male prefect in our year Alicia and I decide that I'd wake up the boys in our year and the first year girls and she'd do the opposite.

"Whose jumper is that?" Alicia asks as I'm heading to the boy's room.

"Oh, um, it's mine," I say going as red as a tomato.

"Why would you buy such and over-sized jumper?" she asks with a disbelieving tone.

"Why would you buy a fitting one?" I say quickly and run off to the boy's room.

I open the door leading to the boy's room and see Fred walking around in his underwear; we both go extremely red.

"So, you guys are up..." I say awkwardly. "Well, I'll just leave you then..." I quickly run out of the room and slam the door shut. I head to the first year girl's room and decide that it may be wise to knock this time; no one answers. I knock again.

"Come in," a tiny voice says. I enter the room and see that all the girls have already left except for one: Georgia.

"Hey Georgie," I used to always call her that whenever I was at the Diggorys' house. "Why aren't you with the others?"

"Hi Lynn, I wanted to be alone for a while,"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing... It's just, do you ever feel like you don't really... fit in?"

"Every day," I sigh.

"I mean I come from a family full of wizards but I still feel like maybe... they made a mistake and I don't belong here and now... I know this sounds stupid but I was hoping I'd... you know... get sorted into Hufflepuff. I mean I'd feel more at home there because I'd have a piece of home in my common room. This probably sounds silly... Sorry for wasting your time,"

"Don't apologize, and you should tell Cedric what you just told me, he should know how you feel,"

Georgia stands up and walks towards me, she gives me a big hug and says, "thank you for listening," I hug her back when all of a sudden she asks, "Why are you wearing Cedric's favorite jumper? Are you friends again? It's about time I mean he'll never shut up about how he misses you and—"

"Cedric 'misses me'?" I ask forcing back a laugh. "No we're not friends and I don't think we'll ever be friends ever again..." I say rather seriously and take of the jumper. "Here, when you talk to him could you return this?" I ask handing back the jumper, she nods, says goodbye and walks off.

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I sit next to George at breakfast trying to avoid eye contact with Fred.

"Ah, Lynn, you had a pleasant and eventful morning I believe?" George asks with a broad grin.

"I thought you guys would still be asleep!" I say with a groan.

"Well, I promise you that not all Weasleys look that shrimpy,"

"Yeah," I agree, "I'm sure Ron is way more muscular than you two!" Lee and I start laughing and Fred and George look very hurt.

"That's one nil for you Vogel," Fred says.

"But we'll get you!" George threatens.

"Bring it!"

"What do we have first period?" Lee asks completely out of the blue. I check my timetable; we have double defense against the dark arts with the Slytherins and then Herbology with Hufflepuff.

We quickly stuff down our breakfast and run towards the defense against the dark arts classroom; my talk with Georgia had taken longer than I'd thought and we were running late. We storm through the door only to be stared at by a full classroom. My cheeks go slightly red as I awkwardly smile and take a seat next to Fred. Luckily the new teacher hasn't arrived yet otherwise I may have gotten a detention on my first day back at Hogwarts and even _I _haven't managed to do that yet.

"Good morning!" a creepy looking man mumbles from the back of the classroom forcing everyone to turn their heads. "I am your new defense against the dark arts teacher, my name is—" he starts waving his wand at the chalkboard and begins writing something—"Alistor Moody, any questions?"

No one dares to raise their hand, no one even dares to blink. This man has a strange look, a look I know I will never be able to trust. He has one fake eye strapped to his face, it's electrical blue and is moving tremendously fast, the other is normal and yet this one scares me more; there is no light in this eye, it is so still and looks as if it can stare right into your soul. Another peculiar thing about professor Moody is the fact that more than half of his nose is missing and he has a large scar marking his face from his hairline all the way down to his chin.

"Okay, lets get started then." he says whilst clapping in his big, scarred hands together. "What do you lot know about unforgivable curses? Lets start with an easy question: how many are there?" he asks and a few hands shoot into the air.

"Yes, you, Miss—"

"Bell sir, there are three," Katie answers with great delight.

"Good Miss. Bell, five points to Gryffindor," Katie and Alicia high-five to this as if five points is such an accomplishment.

"I may vomit," I whisper to Fred as Katie and Alicia are still spreading the joy about five points and I hear him forcing back a laugh.

"You! Girl sitting next to the redhead. If you like talking so much can you give me all three of the curses?"

"Ummm," I pretend to be thinking but actually I knew the three curses long before anyone in this room even knew what a curse was, but I don't like showing off my outstanding knowledge, "there's the Cruciatus Curse, which tortures your opponent when you use the incantation 'Curcio', then you have the Imperius Curse, which lets you control your opponent completely when you use the incantation 'Imperio' and then last but not least, the Killing Curse, which surprise, surprise kills your opponent when you use the incantation 'Avada Kedavra',"

"Excellent, Miss?"

"Vogel, sir,"

"Well Miss. Vogel you just earned Gryffindor fifteen points," I grin sarcastically at Katie whilst raising my eyebrows wiping the smile off of her face.

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We head down to the Herbology greenhouses after two long periods of Moody practicing the imperius curse on us. I'll have to admit, it was hilarious when he made Katie hop around like a frog and then made Alicia buzz around like a bee, but I'm not sure it was completely legal for a teacher to practice this on his students.

"Welcome back sixth years!" Pomona Sprout, a plump, cheerful woman with grey hair says. "Now, we're going to start with a fun exercise this year so I want you all to work in pairs with the person next to you and determine which plants you have before you. You may begin."

I'm standing next to an ugly Hufflepuff girl with thin blonde hair and a face which consists almost entirely out of puss.

"So... I guess you're my partner..." I say trying to start a conversation.

"Hey, Sara, I'm working with Maddi, do you maybe want to swap partners?" Cedric asks my partner and she agrees a bit too quickly.

"Diggory, I already hate patrolling the entrance hall with you twice a week, why on earth would you think I'd like to work with you during Herbology?"

"I just wanted to thank you for helping out my sister this morning,"

"Well, I don't want what happened to me to happen to her,"

"What's that supposed to mean?" I open my mouth as if to say something but decide it not to say what I have to in case people are listening.

"So, what kind of plant is this?" I ask trying to get onto another subject, I'd rather just work alone but I don't think professor Sprout would appreciate that very much so I just have to grit my teeth and get through forty more minutes until lunch.

"That's a dittany flower," he answers quietly and we don't speak for the rest of the lesson.

After Herbology we head back to the castle to have lunch but an enormous group of people is blocking our way. I push my way through the group to see what everyone is looking at: a sign.

It reads, "TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT THE DELEGATIONS FROM BEAUXBATONS AND DURMSTRANG WILL BE ARRIVING AT 6 O'CLOCK ON FRIDAY THE 30TH OF OCTOBER. LESSONS WILL END HALF AN HOUR EARLY. STUDENTS WILL RETURN THEIR BAGS AND BOOKS TO THEIR DORMITORIES AND ASSEMBLE IN FRONT OF THE CASTLE TO GREET OUR GUESTS BEFORE THE WELCOMING FEAST."

"What's the Triwizard Tournament?" I ask George.

"Dunno, but I reckon it's wicked."

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**Author's note: so did you enjoy this chapter? Please write a review (:**


	5. Chapter 4: The Triwizard Tournament

**Author's note: So I decided to occasionally let you know what Cedric is thinking so every four/five chapters I'm going to do a Cedric POV. Enjoy (:**

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**Chapter 4:** The Triwizard Tournament

Cedric's POV

Girls are so frustrating! All of them chase me around school but when I start liking one, it turns out she hates me! I mean, what did I ever do to Lynn? I don't know, but she's been holding it against me since forever! And now, as if liking someone who hates you isn't bad enough, my favorite jumper smells like her rose scented perfume and I can't stop thinking about her!

"Hey Ced, we have to get going the other schools' delegations will be arriving soon," Jake tells me snapping me out of my mental rage.

"I'm coming," I bark at him.

"Jeez, it is 'the time of month' again?" he asks and I scowl at him; I'm in no mood for jokes. Ugh, I can't believe Lynn will still not tell me why she's mad at me after like eight patrolling duties together. Yes, we didn't talk at all during our patrolling duties but if she's really _that_ mad then why won't she frickin' tell me what's wrong? I reckon she's forgotten what's really bothering her and she's just mad at me for no reason but too stubborn to tell me.

"Dude, stop looking angrily at the wall and come already!" Jake snaps me out of my rage again and we head towards the front of the castle.

It's very cold outside the castle. I pull my clock tighter around my body and start jogging on the spot.

"Dude, what in Merlin's name are you doing?" Jake asks me and I realize I look ridiculous so I stop jogging.

I spot Lynn walking out of the enormous castle door together with, surprise, surprise, Fred and George. She's laughing her perfect laugh at probably one of the twin's lame jokes. The wind starts blowing and flows gracefully through her beautiful, wavy, brown hair. She pulls her cloak closer against her body and I see Fred mouthing 'are you cold?' she nods but rejects Fred's offer of giving her his.

Ha! In your face Fred!

"Why are you so quiet today?" Jake asks. "It's no fun."

"Hmm... Am I?" I ask still concentrating on Lynn.

"Vogel? Really?" He asks as he sees what I'm focusing on. My eyes widen and I turn extremely red, _shit!_ Why did I have to stare at her perfectness so obviously?

"Never thought she was your type,"

"Well what did you think my type was?" I ask insulted, even though I'm not quite sure why.

"Well a bit more round in some places, if you know what I'm saying," Jake says whilst lifting his eyebrows.

"That's _your_ type, and honestly I couldn't care less what she looked like,"

"So your saying; if she looked like Sara but still had the same personality—"

"Okay, maybe I care a little about her looks," I say quickly as I try to get the image of Sara's pimples out of my head.

"So you think she likes you back?"

"Can we just drop this conversation?"

"Aha!" luckily our awkward conversation gets interrupted by Dumbledore. "Unless I am very mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!"

I look around trying to spot the delegation but can't see anything.

"There!" Jake shouts pointing above the forest.

And there it is; the most amazing sight I've ever seen. An enormous powder-blue carriage with little pieces of mirror on it reflecting the light provided by the castle and the moon is pulled by a dozen, gigantic, pure white, winged horses. The carriage nears the ground and the front rows leap backward as it lands with incredible speed, it lands with an enormous crash, making a few first years jump, and bounces a few times to lose its speed.

A boy dressed in the same power-blue as the carriage jumps out and unfolds a set of golden steps from the carriage.

"Merlin, that outfit makes him look even more girly than you Ced," Jake whispers and starts laughing as the boy goes back in the carriage and a woman the size of a giraffe steps out. She walks towards Dumbledore, who in comparison to her looks like a mouse, and he welcomes her. She points back at the carriage and a dozen teens step out of the carriage; they're wearing fine, silk powder-blue robes which only barely cover the girl's backsides. I can see a couple of boy's drooling over the lack of clothing, including Jake, but my attention lies still with Lynn, who in my eyes is more beautiful than any all those French girls together.

I can see Hagrid, Dumbledore and the gigantic woman, whose name is Madame Maxime discussing something when all of a sudden I hear Lee Jordan shouting, "THE LAKE! Look at the lake!"

A large whirlpool is forming in the dark waters of the lake. Then all of a sudden a pole emerges from the whirlpool and surely enough a colossal ship follows it. It looks like a sort of ghost ship; it has a sort of skeletal look about it, which becomes even more eerie when it gleams in the moonlight.

A few teens step out of the ship wearing enormous fur coats over their shoulders. The man leading them looks just as eerie and ghost-like as the ship and I watch him walk up to Dumbledore. They talk for a while when all of a sudden the eerie man beckons one of his students to come forward; it's Viktor Krum.

"Oh Merlin! It's Viktor Krum," I squeak.

"Pull yourself together man! You can fangirl all you want in our room but don't do it in front of the whole school,"

* * *

We all go to the great hall for a feast. I sit down at the Hufflepuff table and when I see Georgie entering the room I beckon her to come sit next to me. Normally students have to sit with their house but I made special arrangements with Dumbledore so that she can sit with me occasionally. She feels very alone here and because she's very shy the only people she dares to talk to are Lynn and I.

She runs towards me and sits down.

"Hey Ced, I saw you were drooling over Lynn again,"

"I don't _drool_ over anyone thank you and especially not Lynn,"

I don't know how she found out but somehow Georgie knows I like Lynn and she won't shut up about it, _ever_. Actually I'm quite impressed the way she finds out things like that just by listening to the way people talk to different people and according to her I sound in love when I talk about or to Lynn.

"Oh, just admit it! You like her!" she says teasingly.

Just at that moment Jake joins us, "Oh are we talking about Lynn again?" he asks.

"See, even Jake thinks you like her!"

"I don't just think he does, I know so!"

"Okay guys can we all just talk about something else? I don't like her okay!" this whole thing is so juvenile you'd forget we're in our sixth year, well me and Jake then, Georgie is allowed to be childish because she's still a child. At that moment Dumbledore mentions that the tournament will be officially opened at the end of the feast, which finally causes a change of subject.

We eat our dinner whilst talking about the great excitement behind the tournament and when Dumbledore claps in his hands to make the golden plates disappear the whole room fall silent and Dumbledore starts his speech, "The moment has come, the Triwzard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket just to clarify the procedure that we will be following this year. But first, let me introduce, for those who do not know them, Mr. Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation," everyone claps silently but politely, "and Mr. Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports," this time the applause is louder. "Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch have worked tirelessly over the last few months on the arrangements for the Triwizard Tournament, and they will be joining myself, Professor Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime on the panel that will judge the champions' efforts. Mr. Filch, the casket please."

Filch starts walking towards Dumbledore with, what I'm guessing is 'the casket', it's a wooden chest heavily decorated with jewels. Dumbledore carries on speaking about that the will be three champions, one of each school, and that you must be over seventeen to enter your name in the Goblet of Fire (which is the device that selects the champions) many students protest to this rule and I can see Fred and George are the loudest of all the protesters. I look at Lynn, whose sitting next to them, she's showing no emotion whatsoever, I can't tell whether or not she'd want to join if she could or if she really couldn't care less. And then a thought hits me: what if I become the Hogwarts champion and then win this thing for her? She wouldn't be able to say no to me after I've gone through many dangerous tasks for her.

Dumbledore taps his wand three times on the casket and the old, wooden lid opens for him. He puts his hand in the large wooden crate and grabs out a large, wooden cup with blue flames dancing on top of it. _This is the Goblet of Fire._ Dumbledore places the goblet on top of the casket and tells us that if we wish to join we have to write our names on a piece of parchment and then throw it in there. He also tells us that he'll be drawing an age line around it so that no one under the age of seventeen can sign up.

"Tomorrow morning I'm signing up before anyone else can," I say determined.

"Please don't," Georgie says quietly. "The tasks are meant to be very dangerous and I don't want you to get hurt."

"Don't worry, I won't."

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**Author's note: So what did you think about the Cedric POV? Let me know in a review (:**


	6. Chapter 5: The Rose

**Author's note: this is a very short chapter, sorry! But now you'll finally truly understand why Lynn hates Cedric! Enjoy (:**

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**Chapter 5**: The rose

After the welcoming feast I have patrolling duty with Diggory again. I quickly run to the common room to change into my sweatpants and a warm jumper and run back down the stairs. For the first time ever I beat Diggory and I sit down on the stairs preparing myself for a long night.

I check my watch: 10:15. _Where is he? _He's never late and if he thinks he can get out of duty he's wrong. I'm concentrating so hard on hating Diggory that I don't notice him walking past me and then sitting next to me on the steps.

"Hi, sorry I'm late," he says. "I was looking for... something..."

I look at him blankly and ask, "what?"

"What?" he asks and I sigh.

"What were you looking for?"

"Oh," he says whilst turning slightly pink, "ehm nothing, never mind."

"Okay..."

We sit in silence staring at the empty, dark hall, it's another uneventful night. I have started to really hate patrolling the entrance hall; no one is ever stupid enough to go here at night!

"You know, I'm signing up for the tournament," Cedric says proudly.

"Don't you get enough attention?" I ask whilst rolling my eyes. Every girl in this school drools over Cedric because '_he's so handsome!' _it's really quiet disturbing.

"Not from the people I want," he answers more to himself.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I say a bit too loudly.

"Nothing, never mind," he says quickly, he obviously didn't want me to hear what he had said.

Is he seriously talking about me? I don't give him enough attention? Yeah, well who was the boy who ignored me for the whole of the first year because his little Hufflepuff friends thought I was weird?

"I'm going," I say determined. "Go tell Dumbledore or whoever, I don't care but I'm not staying here, so goodbye!"

"WHY WON'T YOU JUST TELL ME WHAT'S WRONG?" he shouts at me.

"You wanna know why I hate you? Fine, I'll tell you but don't cry if I hurt your delicate feelings.

"Have you ever thought how crappy it must be for an eleven-year-old girl to go from a normal muggle life to... this? And then have you ever thought how much crappier it must be if your best friend since for ever just ditches you because you're in a different house, even though he promised that that would never happen? You know I begged the sorting hat to let me go to Hufflepuff? I did! What did you do to maintain our friendship? NOTHING! And then, this was stupid of me, I thought that maybe perhaps you'd change the second year and we'd become friends again and then you and your little Hufflepuff friends just had to jinx my face leaving me with a face worse than Sara's! That was a hilarious prank wasn't it?"

"I told you that wasn't—"

"I'm not done talking yet! You want to know why I hate you so now you have to listen to the whole thing! You know that it wasn't until I became a prefect that you talked to me for the first time since you promised we'd stay best friends?" tears start spilling over my cheeks. "You know how badly I wish we had never gone to Hogwarts? I hate it here, no one likes me except Fred and George and you can't imagine how badly I needed you sometimes!"

Tears are streaming down my cheeks; I can't talk anymore without my voice breaking so I decide I've said enough. Cedric seems to be speechless as well. I want to go back up stairs and just cry with my face hidden in my pillow all night but I can't seem to move. I can't seem to do anything except cry. The entrance hall is dead silent except for my occasional sobs. I look at Diggory his eyes are also filled with tears but he's too macho to ever permit one of them to escape. He swallows hard making his Addams apple move up and down.

"I-I'm so sorry," is all Diggory can say.

He moves towards me and before I can do anything about it he flings his arms around me. Capturing me in his warmth. He lets go of me and wipes the still streaming tears off my face.

"Lynn, I know I won't be able to ever make it up to you but I will try every minute of every day to make you even consider forgiving me."

I breathe deeply in and out and ask, "Why did you even start talking to me again?"

"What?"

"You heard the question, why did you start talking to me again?" I ask with more force now. He opens his mouth as if to say something but then closes it again I see his cheeks becoming redder and redder but he doesn't say anything.

"Let's just say you weren't the only one who missed their old best friend," he finally says.

"And it took you six years to find that out?" I ask him. I don't believe him, I know there is a _real_ reason why he started talking to me again but I don't believe it's because he 'missed me'. He stays quiet.

"I swallowed up my pride and told you why I was mad at you, which believe me took a lot more courage than you think and you can't tell me why you started talking to me again?"

He looks at his watch and leaves, I look at mine; it's already past midnight. As he walks he drops something and when he's out of sight I pick it up. It's a rose. Why did he have a rose with him? Was this the reason why he was late? If so why couldn't he just tell me he was looking for a rose to impress some bimbo?

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**Author's note: So, what did you think? Please tell me and leave me a review, it's quick and easy and you don't even need and account to do it. And it would make me super duper happy (:**


	7. Chapter 6: The Goblet of Fire

**Author's note: Sorry for not posting a chapter in ages, but I've been busy with exams and then I went on holiday so I never really had time to write and post. I hope you like this chapter (:**

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**Chapter 6: The Goblet of Fire**

The next morning Fred, Lee, George, their potion to deceive the age line and I leave the Gryffindor common room earlier than usual so that they can attempt to put their names in the goblet of fire. We enter the room, which is already packed with over-excited students who welcome us with a great roar of excitement. I can see in their eyes that they'd most likely think anyone who'd sign up their name would be a great hero, a role model, even, for how brave they some day wish to be. But I know different: stupidity is not equivalent to bravery: bravery is the power to stand up to both your enemies and friends and protecting your loved ones no matter the cost, signing yourself up for a stupid school tournament so that you can get 'eternal glory' and the entire school to love you _that_ is selfish and stupid and I fail to see how anyone can call it brave.

"We've done it!" Fred shouts and his voice echoes through the room, everyone's eyes are now fixed on the four of us and their mouths are slightly open.

"The aging potion has been completed-"

"-and we shall demonstrate to all you disbelievers-" Fred's eyes linger on a pretty Gryffindor, fourth year girl with bushy, brown hair called Hermione Granger.

"-that once the Weasley brothers conduct a plan-"

"-we never fail at getting what we want."

Fred and George's eyes glisten with pride as Fred grabs the crystal vial holding their potion out of his robes.

The three troublemakers drink the glistening fluid inside the vial and one by one drop their names into the goblet. Every time one of them succeeds the room is filled with tremendous applause. As the last of the boys, Lee, steps into the circle the room is overcome with an abrupt silence, every student- except Hermione Granger- stares openmouthed and wide-eyed at every move he makes. But as Lee drops the piece of parchment into the goblet something happens and the audience gasps for breath; light beams start springing free from the goblet and threw the boys back. Large grey beards are now emerging at great speed from their chins and the spectators start to roar with laughter.

"YOU SAID THE POTION WAS COMPLETELY READY!" Lee shouts at the twins and within seconds the three of them are rolling on the floor throwing punches at one other.

The enormous doors open and Cedric, followed by the jerks he calls friends, enters unnoticed by the cheering crowd. My attention however is immediately pulled away against my will and is now being held captive by Cedric's chestnut-colored eyes. Even though telling Cedric why I loathed him so badly should've made me feel relieved, I felt more vulnerable than ever! I've always been afraid of telling people how I feel; when I was small I didn't even dare to cry when I was hurt because it made me seem weak and if I was weak I'd be vulnerable and get hurt even more. I never really understood why the sorting hat put me in Gryffindor, I mean people in Gryffindor are meant to be brave and all that and I'm probably less brave than a chicken (which is the most cowardly animal in the world). My theory is that I was braver when I was eleven and that due to circumstances I became more cowardly.

Cedric enters the age circle and drops his name into the goblet. He flashes his pearly, white teeth at me and then high-fives all his cronies. Honestly, he is so smug! Does he honestly think that he's the most suited student to become Hogwarts's champion? A first-year would have more chance at becoming Hogwarts's champion than he does, and I'm going to enjoy his facial expression so badly when he finds out he isn't as great as he imagined!

* * *

Fred, George and Lee had to go to the hospital wing due to their beards and the many injuries they had gotten from their muggle-fight. So I grab this opportunity to catch up with all the homework we'd gotten the first few days: which is a lot! Last year I passed all my OWL's so I chose to continue every subject except for divination, a stupid decision because now I have absolutely no free time because of all my classes, prefect duties and all the homework!

After I finish my defense against the dark arts essay on the imperius curse I look at the big clock above the fireplace and see that I'm late for my patrolling duties but realize I really couldn't care less.

"Hey," Cedric says as he sees me approaching the last few steps. I don't say anything and sit down as far away from Cedric as possible. I know it's childish but I really can't face him after what I told him.

After an hour of nothing we see two Slytherin girls approaching from the dungeons walking as if they don't even notice that there are two prefects here.

"You really have to go back to bed!" I say as I stand in front of them.

"_You really have to go back to bed!" _one of the girls mimics with a high-pitched voice and the other starts shrieking with laughter, she has short greasy, black hair and a hideous pug-face.

"Wow very mature! I'll be notifying professor Snape about this midnight stroll of yours and you'll either be losing a lot of house points or having detention with him, which believe me is not as fun as it sounds," I say as I get a pen and some parchment so that I can note down their names.

"I'm sorry but we don't listen to filthy mudbloods and we're going to do what we woke up for, bye!" the girl with the pug-face says and they start walking around me.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL HER!" Cedric roars and steps in front of them.

"Oh, does pretty-boy like the mudblood?" pug-face teases.

"Stop calling her that and go to bed! We'll be informing professor Snape about this and if he doesn't do anything about this we'll inform professor McGonagall and she will not handle this lightly!" Cedric says now completely red with rage.

"Oh we're scared, pretty-boy and mudblood are ganna tell on us!"

"Stop calling her-"

"fine, I'll stop _calling _her that," pug-face says as she pulls out her wand. She mumbles an incantation that I can't understand but suddenly I feel a tremendous pain on my forehead.

"Lynn!" Cedric shouts and he runs towards me as my body collapses letting the Slytherin girls go. He catches my body in a strong embrace before it hits the stone floor and I feel blood now trickling down my forehead and stinging in my eyes.

"What did she do?" I ask weakly but I think I already now what.

"She carved 'mudblood' into your forehead," he answers through gritted teeth.

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**Author's note: so what did you think? Please let me know :).**


	8. Chapter 7: The Hospital Wing

**Chapter 7: The Hospital Wing**

Something cold stings on my forehead and forces me to open my eyes. It takes me a while before I fully understand where I am: the hospital wing. I look around and see that I'm surrounded by neatly made, abandoned beds. In front of me I see 'get well soon' cards in various sizes and a variety of my favorite candy.

"Good, you've woken up!" Madam Pomfrey says happily as she notices my open eyes. "He was very worried he was, carried you in his arms and by the looks of it he had been running, he was completely out of breath and for about five minutes he couldn't even tell me what had happened!" I look to my right and see Cedric sleeping in a chair next to my bed.

"And not once did he leave your side ,only to hear the names of the champions, but his food has been brought here every night because he simply would not leave (it's been a bit annoying really). Young Harry Potter got chosen as champion, says he didn't sign up himself, must've been a real surprise for him when he heard Dumbledore shout his name through the great hall!"

"How long have I been out?" I ask with a hoarse voice.

"Four nights!" she answers and I hear my stomach grumbling. "But I'm afraid I still haven't been able to cure your forehead. That was a right nasty curse! If I can't cure it in four more days I'm afraid you'll have to go to St. Mungo's."

"What!" I shout, as my eyes become the size of Jupiter.

"Now, now dear, don't worry I'll have you cured before you know it! Now eat this, I'm afraid that's all you'll be able to eat for now even though you look very peaky," she says as she hands me a sort of pudding cup and walks away.

"That woman talks too much," I hear Cedric's voice say and I turn around a bit too quickly causing my head to spin. "Careful!" Cedric says worriedly.

"So, what exactly happened after that girl cursed me?" I ask trying not to make eye contact; had he really just watched me sleep for four nights because he was worried about me?

"Well you heard Madam Pomfrey, you passed out and I carried you here as quickly as I could," he says and I can't help but blush so I start examining at my white sheets. "So then the next day McGonagall came and I told her what had happened and Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode lost their house 150 points and now they have an entire year of detention with McGonagall. I would've taken 200 points from them, each! They're vile and should actually be expelled for doing this to you! And for calling you... you-know-what so many times!" I watch Cedric rage on about the two Slytherin girls and feel very confused why it upset him so much.

"Are you okay?" he finally asks.

"I'm fine," I lie, actually my forehead stung with a constant pain. All of a sudden the pain becomes even more unbearable and I can't help but wince.

"You know you're not a very good liar?" Cedric laughs as he places a cold, wet towel on my forehead. "Does this help?" he asks and I nod. I can see his worried eyes staring into mine as he dabs the towel over the scars.

"Ehm... So who are the other champions?" I ask whilst turning red and looking back down at my white sheets.

"Oh, well Fleur Delacour, for Beauxbatons, Victor Krum, for Durmstrang, well you heard about Harry Potter and um well, me," he says. "Well they think someone bewitched the goblet to make sure Harry joined but I was the original Hogwarts champion," he adds as he sees my confused expression.

"Well you must be overjoyed! Now every girl probably wants to go out with you including that bimbo you wanted to give that rose to!" I snap at him, but I'm not quite sure why. _Can't I for once be nice to him?_

"The girl I wanted to give that rose to is not a bimbo!" he snaps back and I see that I've really hurt him this time. "Besides since when do you care how many girls want to go out with me?"

"I don't!" I snarl.

"Well then don't insult the people I care about!" he snaps but the effect is ruined by his confused look. Why do I have to be such an obnoxious person? All I had to do was thank Cedric for being so worried and then eat my pudding cup and Cedric and I would've had a memory in which we didn't scream at each other but for some reason I had to insult him for reaching a goal he wanted to reach. But why? Why did I have to insult him?

"I'm going," Cedric says as he stands up from his chair by my bedside. I watch him walk away thinking I have to say something before he leaves.

"I'm sorry," I say as he reaches the door but he keeps on walking so I'm not sure if he heard me. The pain that had been quieted a little by Cedric's cold, wet towel shot back into my forehead and I let out a cry of pain. My eyes are stinging with tears I'm not permitting to leave my eyes and that I'm not sure are related to the previous fight with Cedric or the stinging pain caused by the scars on my forehead.

I can see Madam Pomfrey running towards me as quickly as her short legs allow her and feel her rubbing a soothing ointment onto my bare skin. I let out a breath of relief and watch her walk back into her office. I allow my eyes to trail back to the cards and sweets in front of me and crawl to the end of my bed. I start to read every card. Most of them are from people I'm not even really friends with like Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell, but I'm glad to see Fred and George's handwriting scribbled on an amusing card. As usual they don't fail in making me laugh and I reach for the last card I haven't looked at yet. The message is written in a neat handwriting and reads:

_Lynn,_

_I can't believe anyone would do such a thing to you. You are truly an amazing, beautiful person, who doesn't deserve to have the message you have written on your head to be carved there. I know you and I don't feel the same way about each other, but I can't stop thinking about you and I hope that you will one day change your mind. _

_xx_

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**Author's note: Please tell me what you think, even if what you think is negative. I'm not saying I'd like negative reviews but they help me find out what to do better :).**_  
_


	9. Chapter 8: The First Task

**Chapter 8: The first task**

Luckily Madam Pomfrey could cure my forehead, because I really don't like St. Mungo's. I've been there before, it was in my second year at Hogwarts and I was the new Gryffindor seeker, I won the first match against Slytherin but then the second match was against Hufflepuff. Cedric wasn't seeker yet back then but one of his stupid friends, I think it was Jake (but the match is such a blur I'm not really sure), was a Beater and he flung a bludger at me and it hit me in the neck (I don't think he was aiming there but I'm still mad at him for doing it). Then everything went black and when I woke up in St. Mungo's they told me the injury was so severe professionals had to take a look at it. Apparently I'd been paralyzed from the neck down but luckily they cured me in a week. Since then I'm not able to play quidditch any more, it's got something to do with my spine- I can't bend forward for too long- but luckily I'm still aloud to fly as long as I'm not going too fast.

Catching up with homework has been harder than ever! Not only do I have to read about three chapters for every subject but I also have to write about six essays and I need to be done with everything in a week. And while I'm catching up the homework keeps on piling up!

So that's why I am the last Gryffindor in the common room working on an essay about Hinkypunks. I mean, honestly, we did this in our fourth year! It's like teachers have nothing better to do than tell us to write essays and when they don't have anything new for us to write essays on they just chose a random subject.

At around eleven O'clock I finally finish all my DADA homework and decide to head for bed. I climb the stairs leading to the girls' dormitories and enter the one for the sixth years. All the girls are still awake and chatting lively when I enter. I slump towards my bed and empty all the 'get well soon' cards out of my bag and onto my bed. The tiny, blue one immediately catches my eye. I pick it up and re-read the anonymous message. I've never gotten one of these messages before, not even on Valentines Day, so every time I read it, it makes my stomach feel all funny and a pathetic smile gets planted on my face. I usually hate stupid cheesy messages (when other girls get them) because they're just so lame, but somehow I can't force that stupid smile on my face to go away.

"What are you all smiley about?" Katie asks with a cheeky smile on her face.

"Nothing," I say a bit too quickly and hastily lock all the cards up in my bedside table. She raises both eyebrows and says, "You know I can just get in there with Alohamora?"

"Oh no you can't," I laugh: I had already put protection spells on my lock in the first year (I like my privacy).

"So how are you?" Angelina asks.

"Fine," I tell truthfully.

"What's going on with you and Diggory?" Alicia asks from her bed. "I mean, he spent all his free time at your bedside."

"Yeah, she's right, after Herbology I saw him racing to the first floor, probably to see if you'd woken up yet."

"There's nothing going on with me and Diggory," I say whilst turning red and the funny feeling in my stomach returns.

"She's blushing! Do you like him?" Katie asks over excitedly.

"No and I'm not blushing!" I blurt out quickly. "Maybe he just thought he could've done something about my attack and felt guilty or something, and I'm not saying he should've." I say a bit more to myself than them. "Now, if you'll excuse me I'm going to bed, goodnight."

Saturday has arrived and you know what that means: extra prefect duties and a whole day filled with doing homework! I stumble out of bed and head straight for the great hall to gather all the food I can find for my 'fun day of studies'.

"Morning," I grumble to Fred and George, who were previously whispering with their heads together- probably planning stuff for their joke shop.

"Someone looks a bit gwumpy," George teases and I give him the death stare.

"I'm not in the mood, I have extra prefect duties and I still have enormous amounts of homework to do."

"So you won't be interested in a little party we're organizing tonight?" Fred asks and flashes his straight, white (but not as white as Diggory's) teeth and raises his eyebrows repeatedly.

"Why are you organizing a party tonight?" I ask and the twins look at each other in disbelief.

"Today is the first task of the Triwizard tournament," George explains.

"Then I have even less time to do my homework!" I complain.

"Even less if you're going to Hogsmeade tomorrow."

"You are going to Hogsmeade tomorrow, right?" Fred asks and I shrug.

* * *

I knick a few muffins and an apple up to the common room and immediately start my reading the chapters I had to read for Transfiguration. As I'm reading the chapters I think about when I'd ever need to use this, I mean, when would I need to know how to turn a chair into a fish?

I look at the clock and sigh; time to face Cedric again. I slump out of the portrait hole and down the steps heading towards the crowded entrance hall.

"Hey Lynn! So you're the person Cedric had to patrol with!" Cho Chang says. Cho is one of those girls _every_ boy likes, what with her long silky black hair and her figure that every girl would be jealous of.

"Hey, Cho... Where's Cedric?"

"Oh, he asked me if we could switch patrolling partners and since I really hate that Slytherin boy I immediately said yes!" Cho says flashing her 'million dollar smile'.

"Cedric didn't want to patrol with me anymore?" I ask and surprisingly I sound really hurt. I know we recently had a fight but was that seriously enough reason for him not to want to speak to me again? There was a painful empty feeling in my chest and I felt nauseated all of a sudden.

"Yeah, but don't take it the wrong way, I'm sure he just wanted to patrol a place closer to the quidditch field," Cho says. "That's where the first task takes place," she adds when she sees my confused look.

"Yeah... I guess so..."

"Cedric is so good-looking! I like seriously felt my heart start to race when he came to talk to me," Cho giggles. I never really liked Cho very much; she's just such a girly, little princess but saying this for some reason made me absolutely despise her.

* * *

I walk to the quidditch fields together with Fred and George. A cold air hangs over the Hogwarts grounds and I can tell that winter is coming. I sit in between the two boys in the front row and we wait for the task to start. Dumbledore explains what the task is and I'm horrified to find out that they have to be battling dragons! Actual live dragons!

"Now, the first champion to face his dragon will be Cedric Diggory, who will have to retrieve the golden egg from a Swedish Short-Snout," Dumbledore's voice echoes through the field.

On one side of the field an enormous gate opens to permit an enormous beast onto the field. On the other side of the field a gate that's a tenth of the size of the previous one opens and Cedric enters with his head held high. He looks around the audience as if to spot someone. His eyes point to where I'm sitting and I wave lamely not exactly knowing why. He looks away quickly and I lower my hand. The dragon charges at him and blows fire. Luckily Cedric is quick enough to duck behind a large rock. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest and yearn to help him. He grabs out his wand and when the dragon stops spitting fire he comes out from behind the rock, but before he can say anything he gets knocked to the floor by the dragons tail. _Get up! Get up, get up, get up! _ I think and I watch him scramble to his feet. He points his wand at the rock he hid behind only seconds before and shouts a spell, which I can't understand. The rock transfigures into a Labrador and distracts the dragon. Cedric now has a clear path to retrieve the golden egg. _Run and get it quickly!_ I think as my heart pounds on my ribs as if wishing to be freed. He runs and grabs the egg and I let out a sigh of relief. The dragon now turns around, fully enraged because it thinks Cedric took one of her eggs. She spits fire at him once more and I can see his hair catching on fire and him falling back. I scream and grab Fred's hand extremely tight. He looks confused at me and I quickly let go with a soft apology. _Run Cedric! Get away from there before it kills you!_ I think and I realize my eyes are starting to sting and my heart is now not only pounding but also aching extremely badly. Cedric scrambles to his feet, grabs the egg and runs towards the exit as fast as he can: he makes it.

"I'm going to see if he's alright," I say determinedly and hear my voice crack at the end.

I stand up and start heading for the exit when I see Georgie, who's also trying to get through the giant mass of people. Merlin, how could Cedric do this to her? I stretch my arm out to her and she grabs my hand. Together she and I run towards the Hospital wing, where we see Cedric lying on one of the neatly made beds.

"Hey," I say weakly, still fighting back tears as I see his appearance: his hair is almost completely burned off and the flesh on half of his face is open and almost entirely burned of. He opens up his eyes with a lot of effort and smiles his perfect smile as he sees the now weeping Georgia and me.

"Hey," he says hoarsely and Georgie runs towards her brother and flings her arms around him. I wish I could do the same and the aching feeling returns to my heart.

Then I realize, the funny feeling in my stomach when I was talking about Cedric in the girls' dormitories, the empty and aching feeling in my heart when Cho told me Cedric had swapped patrolling partners and now the aching feeling in my heart again as I yearn to fling my arms around his fragile body, Katie was right: I do like Cedric._ Oh Merlin this is bad._

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**Author's note: So what did you think? Please write a review, even if you didn't like it I'd like to know why so that I can work on that. The next chapter will be from Cedric's POV and I'm looking forward to writing it :).**


	10. Chapter 9: Ointment and Feelings

**Author's note: It's kind of a short chapter but I hope you enjoy it :).**

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**Chapter 9: Ointment and Feelings**

Cedric's POV

"Hey," I hear a familiar voice say weakly. I open my eyes with tremendous effort and see my sister's face covered in tears and Lynn standing next to her. Lynn came to see me! I can't help but smile.

"Hey," I answer feeling so good about myself because Lynn Vogel actually came to see me in the hospital wing. Georgia runs up to my bed and flings her arms around my neck and kisses me on the cheek.

"You promised you wouldn't get hurt! Y-you promised me!" she says through sobs.

"Well I wasn't planning on it," I say forcing a laugh.

"How are you?" Lynn's weak voice asks as she walks over and grabs my hand. I feel my heart racing; I can't believe she's actually holding my hand! Her hand feels like everything I imagined: warm and soft just like her personality- well before she hated me.

"Fine," I say sheepishly.

"You know it's funny, I thought I wouldn't come in here for a long time, but you just _had _to get fire spat at you," she says and I laugh.

"I'm... going to... do something," Georgia says drying up her tears and a big, cheeky smile on her face.

"So how's the damage?" I finally ask after a long and awkward silence.

"Well... I'm sure your hair will grow back but for the time being you're just as good-looking as mad-eye," she teases and shows the smile I've come to love so much over the years.

"Ah well mad-eye is a good-looking bloke so I'm fine then," I say and we both start laughing.

Madam Pomfrey comes running with an ointment for my raw skin and starts dabbing it around my eye. At first it stings but after a while I feel a relief as the heat rises out of my wound. At that moment the enormous, oak doors open and Fleur, carried by two other Beauxbatons girls, enters. She's placed on the bed opposite me and the curtains close around her.

"Eet 'urts terribly and starts from der to all ze way up 'ere!" I hear Fleur moan; apparently I wasn't the only one to have burn-wounds.

"I'll be with you in just a sec dear," Madam Pomfrey says as she dabs at my eye.

"Oh, you can take care of Fleur and I will take care of his eye," Lynn says.

"Okay, that would be great dear, just dab like this until all this ointment is rubbed onto his face, can you do that?" Lynn nods and Madam Pomfrey walks away and vanishes behind the curtains. Lynn places herself on the side of my bed and smiles down at me. She looks so beautiful when she smiles. She doesn't have perfect teeth but that doesn't make a smile less beautiful. It's beautiful because when she smiles I know she means it, she doesn't just smile to make me impressed because of her pearly white, straight teeth, she smiles when she's happy and she's the most beautiful person alive when she is. She pushes a flyaway hair strand back behind her ear and stares into my eyes with her beautiful, big, crystal-blue eyes. She starts dabbing the ointment on my face and I feel like the happiest person alive. Yes, I just battled a giant dragon and yes, that dragon had burnt all my hair away and left me with this hideous scar on half my face but now Lynn was actually talking to me and smiling at me just like when we were kids.

"I've missed this," I say finally after another long silence and she nods. I can't believe it! She's actually missed spending time with me as well!

All of a sudden the big, oak doors open again and Harry Potter, followed by many others enter the door. Harry probably looks worse than I do but at least he still has hair. A couple of girls walk my way whilst giggling. I see Cho in the middle of them giggling more hysterically than all the others.

"You did great out there Cedric!" Cho says whilst flittering her eyelashes and smiling a fake smile. See, she's a perfect example of how girls just flash their teeth at me thinking it'll make them look more attractive, but I'm not that shallow. Sure Cho is pretty, but there are a lot of _pretty _girls out there and if you compare her to Lynn she'd even be seen as ugly.

"Oh, thanks Cho," I say and smile sheepishly at her and the other girls, who are now playing with their hair and leaning foreword onto the end of my bed so that I can see more of their... curves. Merlin, some girls are easy!

"Well, I see that I'm not needed here anymore! Bye!" Lynn snaps at me and storms out of the room.

_What did I do wrong now?_

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**Author's note: So what did you think? Please leave me a review, it would make me very happy :).**


	11. Chapter 10: Drunken Secrets

**Author's note: from now on I'm going to upload a chapter once a week (so this is the last one for this week) this is so that I can still post chapters even if I have a writer's block. I really enjoyed writing this chapter so I hope you enjoy reading it as well, please let me know if you did.**

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**Chapter 10: Drunken Secrets**

Ugh! I hate that stupid Cho Chang and her stupid, oh-look-at-me-I'm-so-perfect attitude. And then that cheesy smile Cedric gave her when she was pouting her lips at him and fluttering with her eyelashes! Merlin, he's so shallow! I'm storming up the stairs towards the Gryffindor tower and all I can think about is that Cho and Cedric are probably exchanging saliva at the moment. All of a sudden it feels as if someone just grabbed my heart and is using it as a knife holder. Why do things always have to get so complicated? I mean, I was doing just fine when I believed that I hated Cedric.

Cho and Cedric are now probably getting on so well and I want to bet he's not even once thinking about me, and why would he? It's not as if I've been such a sweetheart around him. But the worst part, I believe, is that he kept on trying to rebuild our friendship and I was so stubborn; I didn't want to forgive him.

I reach the portrait of the fat lady and say, "Bubotuber."

"No, I'm sorry the password has changed," the fat lady says with her high-pitched voice.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S CHANGED? I'M A PREFECT YOU'D THINK I'D BE TOLD ABOUT A CHANGE OF PASSWORDS! NOW I WANT TO GET INTO THAT BLOODY COMMON ROOM SO THAT I CAN FINISH ALL THAT CRAPPY HOMEWORK I NEED TO DO, SO EITHER YOU'RE GOING TO LET ME IN OR I'M GOING TO BREAK OPEN THIS LOUSY PAINTING OF YOURS!" I'm completely out of breath after this rage and can feel a vein popping out of my forehead as I glare at the portrait. It swings open and Fred and George scramble out laughing their heads of.

"We thought we heard your angelic voice," George laughs.

"DON'T YOU START WITH ME GEORGE ARTHUR WEASLEY! NOW YOU TELL ME THE NEW PASSWORD OR SO HELP ME I WILL-"

"Ground him?" Fred asks mockingly.

"Did you take some polyjuice potion and turn into Lynn, mum?"

"Oh, ha-ha, very funny," I say whilst pulling a very hideous, annoyed face.

"Fine, the password is 'Dragon puss'." The portrait hole flings open and I hear the fat lady saying sternly, "Next time you could also just ask for the password in a polite tone."

"Next time I'll carry a knife with me so that I can cut through the canvas and get in like that!" I snap back and crawl through the whole.

"You have such a lovely temper," Fred says with mocking admiration. The common room is packed with Gryffindor students from every year and is booming with extremely loud music. In the middle I see Harry Potter on the shoulders of two other fourth year boys, holding his golden egg up against the light so that it glistens in every direction. Around him many students are chanting his name and some girls are blowing kisses at him and giggling when he looks their direction.

"We need to show you something!" George shouts over the music.

"It's our latest developments for the joke shop!" I follow them towards a dark corner where an enormous pile of parchment lays on a desk.

"I'm going to get some firewhiskey!" Fred shouts and turns around to the table with beverages, where a couple of third years are looking around trying to see if anyone is looking as they steal some firewhiskey.

"Now this one," George says grabbing my attention away from the third years passing around one cup of firewhiskey between six of them, "is our greatest invention yet. If we've got all the measurements right we'll be able to create a sweet that can make anyone ill, we call them skiving snackboxes. What d'ya think?" He asks handing me the notes on the skiving snackboxes. I look at the piece of parchment with neatly written notes on it, but can't seem to concentrate on the actual words because of the loud music.

"Hang on," I say as I have a sudden epiphany. "Who wrote this?"

"Fred, why?" _Oh Merlin! If Fred wrote this than that means that he wrote the message that's now securely locked away in my bedside table!_

"Nothing," I answer and I notice that my voice has gone up a pitch, "Um... It's good... I think it'll work!" I hand back the parchment and turn around almost bumping into Fred, who is carrying three glasses of firewhiskey in his hands. I force back a soft scream at Fred's appearance and grab a glass out of his hands. With one big gulp I drain all the liquid enclosed in the glass and reach for a second glass in Fred's hand.

"Hey, I was going to drink that!" Fred shouts at me as I head over to the beverage table and throwing away the two empty cups.

_Merlin, why do you like making my life more complicated?_ Why did Fred write this message? He and I are supposed to be friends and nothing more! I drain down a third glass of alcohol and feel it rising to my brain. I don't want to have feelings for other or vice versa. Fourth glass. The music becomes louder and louder and I feel my thoughts draining away just as the liqueur. Fifth glass. Everything starts spinning and I feel all my sorrows lifting off of me as quickly as I'm lifting the glasses off of this table. Sixth glass. My vision is blurry and I've completely forgotten what I was worrying about. Seventh and eighth glass. A blob of red blur is floating towards me.

"HIIII FRED!" I say as I gulp down the ninth glass.

"Are you alright Lynn?" He asks.

"Yeah, great party!"

"Lynn, you never drink, what's wrong?" I gulp down my tenth glass and look at him. Everything I do is on impulse. It's like my mouth has a brain of it's own and my actual brain is switch off.

"I KNO... I KNOW... SOMETHING!" I say in a singsong kind of voice.

"What?" he asks completely confused. Eleventh glass.

"I KNOW THAT... THAT... I KNOW THAT YOU... THAT YOU LIKE ME!" I say and start giggling hysterically. His eyes widen and I grab my twelfth glass.

"You know, maybe you've had enough alcohol for one night," He says as he grabs the glass out of my hand.

"NOOO! DON'T DO THAT!" I whine and start pouting my lip. "BUT... BUT YOU KNOW? YOU KNOW? I DON'T WANT TO RUIN OUR FRIEND... FRIENDSHIP! SO... SO I DON'T... THINK THAT... THAT ANYTHING SHOULD HAPPEN BETWEEN US... BECAUSE... BECAUSE WE'RE FRIENDS! BUT... BUT... BUT... I DON'T WANT TO... TO MAKE YOU FEEL SAD... YOU KNOW? SO..." I seize his T-shirt and grab him closer, our faces now only centimeters apart. I force him even closer and kiss him, not once thinking about what I'm doing and just going with the impulse. My body is now completely held captive by the firewhiskey and frankly, I don't care. It feels great not to think about what I'm doing and what the consequences might be. We part from our kiss and I start giggling hysterically again. Everything starts spinning in my mind and the bad effects of alcohol start taking over. All of a sudden I'm struck with nausea and I feel as if I'm traveling by floo powder except, it doesn't stop.

"What's wrong with her?" I hear George's voice echo through my mind.

"She's drunk," Fred's voice answers.

"Com'on let's take her to her bed," George's voice says and I feel them dragging me up the stairs, one on each side of so that I can keep balance. They help me onto my bed and take off my shoes. I'm still laughing uncontrollably though the cause is unknown.

"Goodnight!" the twins say in sync.

"Goodnight!" I reply and they walk out of the door leaving me alone and still laughing.

I fall into a restless sleep and dream about the most bizarre things: Fred is telling George about a new broom he wants to buy. But when he reaches the broom it flies towards Cedric. But Cedric rather wants another _prettier_ broom and flies off. The broom that Fred wanted feels hurt and flies into a tree. Just as it does it transfigures. Just before I wake up I can see what it transfigured into: me.

My head feels as if it's about to explode and the blinding light stings in my eyes. Memories from last night start flooding before my eyes and I can feel my nausea coming back. I run towards the bathroom and hurl into the toilet. More memories start filling my brain, I lean against the bathroom wall and slide towards the floor. I grasp my head as the memories keep on flooding my agonizingly painful head. _Merlin, what have I done!_

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**Author's note: I wanna bet you didn't see that one coming! Please let me know what you think about the chapter or the story on the whole. I really enjoy reading what you guys think :).**


	12. Chapter 11: Skeeter Attack

**Chapter 11: Skeeter Attack**

I put on my sunglasses and put in some bewitched ear plugs so that I still can hear and see everything just not bright and loud enough to make my head scream. I head out of my dormitory and down the steps leading to the common room.

"Hey!" I hear Georgie say and too my surprise my head doesn't roar with pain. "Why are you wearing sunglasses?"

"Hi... When you're old enough I'll tell you. What's up?"

"Oh nothing, I was thinking about visiting Cedric today, he's being released at twelve, you want to come?"

"Oh... Um I don't really think that's a good idea..." I answer as the thought of Cho Chang holding his hand pops into my mind.

"What did he do?" she asks with a sigh.

"What? Nothing..."

"Come on! You guys were _finally_ talking normally to each other!"

"Sometimes things are just not meant to be," I say with a forced laugh as we crawl out of the portrait hole.

"Well, bye then," Georgia says disappointedly and heads down the stair to the left.

"Morning," George says with a big, cheeky smile on his face as I sit down at the Gryffindor table.

"Shut up!" I snap back and realize that Fred isn't there.

"Not as friendly as you were yesterday," he laughs I give him a nasty look.

"Where is he anyway?" I ask looking around.

"Who?" George inquires mockingly to which I give him another nasty look. "He's up in our room, he said, and I quote, 'it's too bloody awkward'," I groan and let my head fall against the table.

"How could I screw up so badly?" I moan but my voice is muffled because of the table.

"I dunno, you're the one who got pissed!" I look up and give him another death stare whilst kicking his shin with all my might under the table.

"Will you stop making jokes about this?" I complain.

"Oi! Look, it's probably going to take Fred sometime to forget this but you'll be fine in a couple of days,"

"That's it, I need to obliviate him!"

"Seriously?" he asks sarcastically. "Just wait a few days and you'll be fine. Are you coming to Hogsmeade?" he asks and before I can answer hundreds of owls fly into the grand room dropping parcels and letters above their owners. A small brown barn owl flies towards me to hand me my copy of the daily prophet. I put some coins in the bag attached to his foot and scratch it behind its ears. I roll open the newspaper and when I see the front paper my heart sinks.

_Triwizard Champions in Love_

_By Reeta Skeeter_

_After enduring the dangerous battle against dragons the four champions were sent to the hospital wing, where the nightmare of the first task only just started for they had to undergo painful measures to return to perfect health as quickly as possible. Luckily some of the champions had special companions there to make the pain more manageable. _

_Harry Potter, the youngest of them all (and suspected of forcing his entry), was seen holding the hand of a muggle-born witch, Hermione Granger, who was soothing him by telling him that his looks honestly didn't matter and that madam Pomfrey, the healer at Hogwarts, would restore his good looks in no time. Rumor has it, though, that Potter was more interested in Cedric Diggory's companion Cho Chang, who was soothing Diggory with more than just words. More on page 4._

I crumple up the paper and feel as if someone is doing the same with my heart. Everywhere I look I see the picture of Cedric and Harry looking jealously at each other with their arms crossed in front of their chests.

"I still need to catch up on my homework," I mutter and without eating I head back to the common room. It wasn't a lie, I still have heaps of unfinished homework to attend to but I would've liked to eat breakfast.

"Dragon puss," I say to the portrait of the fat lady and I can see that our little quarrel of the previous day is still not forgotten because she looks at me as if I am the dragon puss. I crawl through the hole and accidently bump into the person who wanted to go out. He walks past me without saying anything.

"Fred wait," I say in an almost pleading whisper. He stops walking. "I-I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean to... to do it."

"Oh well that makes me feel great!" he snaps back, it's weird in all the years that I've know him I've never heard any trail of anger in his voice, which makes me feel even worse.

"Yeah, well of course that doesn't," I reason with him. "But, I really am sorry for doing it! Can't we just forget it ever happened?" I plead and I can see the anger boiling up in him.

"Yeah, sure, whatever..." he says in a monotonous tone. I think I preferred the anger. He crawls out of the portrait hole and I hide my face in my hands. Merlin how did I screw up so badly?

It's a miracle how well I work when I'm upset. I finished all my work in no less than five hours and even did some extra, just in time for my favorite time of the day: prefect duty with the guy who makes my temper rise and heart hurt.

"Had fun with Weasley last night?" Cedric barks as I approach the steps we usually sit on.

"How-"

"Alicia told Cho and Cho told me,"

"Ah yes, because you and Chang have become so close lately and you even got the prophet to expose you love!"

"I never said anything to the prophet and what they said never happened, what Cho said, however, did."

"Why do you care if anything happened?"

"I don't, why do you care if there's anything going on between Cho and me?"

"I don't!"

"Good!"

"Good!"

I storm away from him and sit at the opposite side of the staircase. Today is seriously the most awkward day of my life!

My stomach grumbles and I only just realize that I haven't eaten anything all day, which is very weird because, I love food. I hear the bell echoing through the hallway indicating that it's time for dinner and sigh with relief. I stand up not looking at Diggory once and head towards the great hall. The great hall is almost empty when I enter. I sit down at the farthest end of the Gryffindor table and wait for the students to start flooding in. I watch the enormous doors and see the Weasley twins enter with Lee. My stomach twists in guilt when I see Fred's face: he looks absolutely miserable. George and Lee are laughing, probably at some lame joke one of them told, but Fred's glum frown doesn't even twitch. I hide my face in my hands again and pray to Merlin that they don't sit with me; I don't think I can handle Fred's gloomy face scowling at me.

"I'd like to make an announcement," Dumbledore's calm voice rings through the hall, "so would you please all take a seat." The twins and Lee sit down at the other side of the table and I sigh with relief.

"It is tradition in the Triwizard tournement that the hosting school also hosts a winter ball." The entire hall is filled with excited murmur from the girls and loud groans from the boys. "Yes, it's all very exciting. Now if you would all meet with your heads of houses tomorrow after the lessons they will give you further information. Now, I think I've kept you yearning for food long enough, dig in." Just like that silver plates appear with our dinner on it and I immediately follow Dumbledore's orders and 'dig in'.

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**Author's note: Love it/hate it/have constructive criticism? Please leave a review :).**

**I'll be posting the next chapter next week monday and I seriously had tears in my eyes whilst writing it so be prepared :). **


	13. Chapter 12: Date Drama

**Chapter 12: Date Drama**

McGonagall gave us all the information about the ball we needed. Now the Gryffindor common room is buzzing with excitement. Girls are giggling in groups and whispering about who they hope will ask them and who they think will ask their friends. The boys are also huddled together whispering encouragements to their friends who wish to ask out a particular girl. The entire room is divided into little groups and here I stand, all alone in the middle of them. At times like this I wish that I also had girl friends. Not only because I completely ruined my friendship with Fred but also because I want to be part of one of those little groups, I want to gossip with them and giggle whenever we catch a boy staring at us and I want to talk about the clothes we will wear and how we'll do our make-up and hair.

I've never really been much of a girly girl but I think every girl has fantasized about her perfect princess ball with her perfect prince Charming who just sweeps her off her feet. But lately my prince Charming has gotten the face of Cedric and whenever I picture the ball I see him with Chang instead of me. My heart sinks to my feet and I sigh with self-pity. I walk through the mob of chattering people and feel more alone than I have ever and the fact that tomorrow is the day I've been dreading all year doesn't help. I walk up the stairs leading towards my dormitory and enter the room. It's completely empty: all the other girls are downstairs still chatting away happily. I open my heavily protected bedside table and grab a muggle picture out of it. Tears start blurring my vision but I don't allow them to leave their cage. On this picture is the reason I can see those hideous thestrals, on this picture is the reason why I always feel alone and sad every year on the twenty-sixth of November and on this picture is the reason why I've become such an independent person. I bite my lip and force myself not to cry. I can't force back the tears any longer, however, and they start rolling down my cheeks racing one another. After an hour of weakness I finally force myself to stop crying. I put down the picture on my bedside table and fall asleep whilst staring at it.

My eyes sting as I force them open. I walk towards a mirror and take in my appearance. My brown, wavy hair is all over the place, I look extremely pale and my blue eyes are bluer than ever because of the red line beneath my iris. You can tell just by looking at me that I had cried the previous night and fallen asleep with tears still in my eyes. I walk towards my bedside table and grab the immobile picture of a woman.

"I miss you mum," I mutter under my breath and my eyes start welling up with tears again, but this time I keep them where they're supposed to be. Eight years. I can't believe I've lived eight years without a mother. When it happened I was so angry with her for abandoning me and now I'm angry with myself for every thinking such a thing.

"Are you coming to breakfast," Angelina asks, snapping me out of my gloomy memory.

"No," I say hoarsely, I'm not hungry; I never am when I'm sad.

"Okay, I'll see you at Herbology then," she says looking curiously at me. She has every right to be curious, I never told anyone about my loss, and then here I am sitting on my bed sulking whilst holding a muggle picture.

"Yeah, see you."

I walk alone towards greenhouse four. Heavy clouds are hanging above the school grounds and I wonder whether or not it will snow this week. I enter the greenhouse and see the only person who knows why I feel the way I do and fully understands what's going on, but sadly we're still not really on speaking terms. I walk towards him because no matter how many fights we have he still is my Herbology partner. His chestnut eyes are also red and I understand why.

"How are you?" he asks.

"Bad," I answer simply. "You?"

"I've been better."

Eight years ago Cedric's mother and mine we're planning to go on a trip together. They were best friends, just like us, and were so excited for the trip. I still remember them smiling back at Cedric and I as they grabbed their hand luggage and boarded the airplane. They waved at us one last time and we waved back with big smiles on our youthful faces. We watched them walk until they were out of sight and then watched the plane take of. Our Dads said it was time to go the moment the plane was airborne but I said I wanted to stay until the plane was out of sight. I could see it high up in the sky flying weightlessly with the birds. It was almost out of sight and I'd almost turned around when I saw that it had stopped in midair and now was falling down with tremendous speed. It was like I was watching a movie and someone had pressed the slow-motion button. It seemed so unreal and then reality struck as the plane hit the ground and burst into flames. The firefighters and ambulances had arrived half a second after the plane hit the ground and many people were saved, including our mothers, but they were in a coma just like many of the other 'survivors'.

We boarded the ambulances in which they toke our mothers and were forced to look at the gruesome silhouettes that were once beautiful women. I didn't quite know what was going on, I was only eight after all, I didn't understand that my mother was on the verge of dying. Even when two men were trying to resurrect my mother out of her coma I didn't understand that I'd maybe lose her forever. She had promised me that we'd both live forever together and so I didn't think it was possible for me to lose her.

The ambulance doors opened and the two men rolled my mother out quickly and my dad and I followed. We met Amos and Cedric just in front of the entrance doors and I still can remember the sorrow that had been planted on his face and how horrified I was when he spoke the words he did: 'Mary died in the ambulance'. Still, I didn't believe that this would happen to the woman I'd loved so much over the years and who'd taught me a great deal of everything I knew. My dad grabbed my hand and we ran to the room where my mother was now attached to many weird devises. I ran to her bed and grabbed her blackened hand.

"Mum! Mum wake up!" I cried as I saw her lifeless body. The beeping noises on one of the machines were slowing down but I didn't know what that meant.

"Mum!" I cried over and over again but her eyes didn't open. The beeping was becoming less and less until finally all we could hear was one continuous, low beep. A doctor entered the room and turned off the beeping machine. He walked over to where my mother lay and pulled her blanket over her head.

"No!" I shouted at him, I didn't realize she had left the world and I thought he was trying to choke her. "Mum!" I screamed. "Wake up! Wake up mum!" she didn't react. My dad put his arm around me and I looked up at his face: he was crying and looked so sad.

"Lynn," he said to me and he didn't need to finish the sentence: finally I understood. "Mum is dead," he whispered hoarsely. Immediately enormous tears were spilling out of my eyes and I buried my face in his chest.

"Mum!" I whispered one last time and flung my body over the immobile silhouette of my mother.

I felt alone. I felt betrayed. I felt abandoned. But most of all I felt _empty_. There was a piece of her in me, in my heart, all of a sudden I could feel that that piece wasn't there anymore and I knew it wasn't ever going to return.

A single tear leaves my eye and I quickly brush it away before anyone can see it. Cedric puts his arm around me and rubs my upper arm.

"Right sixth years, we'll be examining the mimbulus mimbletonia today. Can anyone tell me what that is?" she looks at me but I don't answer, I know the answer but I'm scared that if I speak I won't be able to hold back the tears I'm holding captive any longer. I hear someone else answer, they earn ten house-points, I don't care; all I do is look at the ground.

The bell rings and everyone leaves to eat lunch. I feel Cedric's hand enclosing around my wrist and feel him dragging my immobile body away from the greenhouse. It was stupid to let the memory of my mother's death re-enter my mind when I've always done my best to keep it out of there and now all I can see is the motionless, black corpse of what used to be a beautiful woman. Cedric drags me under a pretty cherry tree and we sit down. He puts his arm around me again and I lean my head against his shoulder. It feels nice, just sitting there in his arms. I feel protected and the empty feeling my mother left me with is filled up slightly.

The bell grabs us out of our trans and we get up and walk towards the castle together. Cedric's arm is still around me when we enter the enormous oak doors. We don't say anything when we have to part ways but we just hug and walk in the direction we have to.

* * *

I enter the bustling common room and groan when I realize that everyone is still talking about the Yule ball. I head straight for my dormitory and push two giggling fourth year girls out of my way. The chattering in my dormitory is just as lively as the one in the common room.

"George asked Katie to the ball and Lee asked Alicia, so that just leaves you and me," Angelina giggles and I force a laugh.

"Has anyone asked you yet?" Katie inquires and this time my laugh is genuine. The only guy that has ever liked me is now not talking to me because I made things between us a bit too awkward.

"No," I say simply, "no one's asked me."

"Well Fred will won't he? Aren't you two dating?" Alicia asks.

"No, we're not dating, I kissed him as a drunken mistake and Alicia I'd like it if you'd stop spreading gossip about me thank you very much!" I say quickly and see the heat rising to her head as she starts examining her shoes. I see the other girls exchange looks and decide that the 'girl talk' has ended so I enter the bathroom to change into my pajamas.

I re-enter the dormitory and dive into my bed. I give the picture of my mother one last glance and close my eyes. Immediately I fall into a restless sleep filled with disturbing dreams.

* * *

I wake up to a loud grumbling noise and realize it's coming from my stomach. I quickly put on my robes and head towards the great hall for a big breakfast.

I'm one of the first to arrive in the great hall. I sit down at my now regular place at the end of the table and grab a bowl of cereals and some coffee.

"You feeling better?" a soft, masculine voice asks from behind me. I turn around and my eyes meet with Cedric's beautiful chestnut brown eyes.

"A bit," I say honestly whilst tweaking up the corners of my lips. "You?"

"Well I didn't really feel any better when I woke up but then when I entered the great hall I saw Cho and this thought popped up into my head and I just walked up to her without thinking and asked her to the ball and she said yes. So I guess I feel better." And I'm back to feeling like crap.

"That's great Cedric," I say whilst forcing a smile. Honestly, that's the last thing I wanted to say. I wanted to say something like, 'I thought there was nothing going on between you two,' or 'so she is the bimbo you wanted to give the rose to,' but I'm tired of the stupid fights he and I have over absolutely nothing and I'm tired of pretending I don't want him in my life because I do and if I have to endure a constant pain whenever I see him happy with that bitch, so be it! Because the truth is: I miss him so much. He smiles his perfect half smile, which makes him look so cute and irresistible.

"Well, bye," he says and I force another smile on my face with all my might.

My first period is a free period so I head back to the common room, where I find most sixth years, except for Katie and Alicia because they actually like divination. Fred, Lee and George are busy working on the joke shop and Angelina is catching up on the load of homework we had gotten the previous week. I decide to do the same and grab my parchment and quill out of my bag. The scratching sound of quills on parchment fills the otherwise silent room and I feel more distracted than ever. I finally give in and head towards the quiet dormitory. I walk up the marble staircase and almost reach the top step when I hear someone calling from the bottom one.

"Lynn, wait up," Fred says.

"So... We're speaking again?" I ask awkwardly.

"Only if you want to..." he answers equally awkward.

"Yeah!" I blurt out quickly. "So, what's up?"

"Well... I was wondering... Do you maybe want to go to the ball with me?" it takes me a while to process the question and so I just stare at his ginger hair for a while completely dumbstruck.

"Fred..." I finally say. "I still don't think it's a smart idea, you know? I mean I don't want to ruin our friendship."

"Well, we don't need to go as a couple, we could just go as friends, I mean it's better than going alone..."

"What?"

"Well going with me, as friends, would be better than going alone."

"You think I can't get anyone to go with me to the ball as more than just friends?" I ask completely outraged. Fred doesn't answer, he just looks at me blankly and confused. "You know what? I just decided that I don't want us to be speaking anymore, bye!" I walk the last step and slam the door in Fred's face.

* * *

**Author's note: What did you think? Please leave a review, they make me so happy :). So the next chapters will be the yule ball and I've written them in both POVs. I'll post the one in Cedric's POV next week monday and the one in Lynn's POV next week Friday (two in one week!). I hope you'll enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them :).**


	14. Chapter 13: Lying Prat

**Chapter 13: Lying Prat**

**Cedric's POV**

I sigh as I look around me. The entrance hall looks absolutely mesmerizing: above us snowflakes are falling but stop just before they actually touch our skin, the stairs are decorated so festively with flecks of gold and silver and all around us icicles are hanging from the ceiling glinting beautifully and magically in the light. People all around me are dressed in their nicest clothes and are trying to look better than they really are. I look around to find that one beautiful face belonging to the most wonderful person in the world but can't find it. I sigh again and start walking down the staircase. I reach the bottom and look around but there's still no sign of those stunning Egyptian-blue eyes.

"Hey Ced!" an excited girly voice squeaks from behind me. I look around my eyes meet Cho's boring brown ones. Sure, her eyes are pretty, but so many girls have brown eyes.

"Hi Cho," I say forcing a smile. It was a cheep shot asking Cho to the ball with me, I know, but I just thought she'd make Lynn the most jealous. Not that I can make Lynn jealous, of course, because she's so in love with that git Fred. My heart sinks a few inches and so do the corners of my mouth. It's not fair to Cho that I'm thinking so much about Lynn when I asked her here with me, and it's definitely not fair to her that I asked her just to make Lynn jealous.

She's wearing a pretty blue dress that's tight around her chest and then widens at her waist. She's curled her hair and tied it into a pretty half up half down look. Everything about her is pretty but that's it, she's pretty but she isn't... Lynn.

"So, how are you?" I ask awkwardly.

"I'm fine," she says beaming at me.

"You look very pretty tonight,"

"Thank you!" she says now beaming even wider and I think about what Lynn would answer to such a comment. Lynn would probably raise her eyebrows at me and then say, "I look pretty _tonight_? Meaning that you think I look ugly at other times? Thanks!" She takes everything so literally and always seeks a fight, which is probably why I like her so much; I never get bored talking to her.

"They made it look really beautiful here, I'm surprised this is the same entrance hall I passed through to get to my breakfast this morning," she laughs and I force myself to join her.

We've fallen silent again, but luckily are saved by the witch in emerald robes, who is now approaching us. "Mr. Diggory I expect you and Mrs. Chang to line up there in about ten minutes for the openings ceremony," Professor McGonagall says looking as strict and stiff as ever.

"Okay," I say courtly and she walks off again.

"Merlin, she looks so bewitching," I hear Cho say jealously and am struck with utter confusion. How on earth could anyone ever think that McGonagall looked bewitching? Well, sure she did actually look bewitching; she looked like she'd been bewitched into a toad. I finally realize that Cho isn't talking about McGonagall and follow her gaze. There at the top of the steps is the most beautiful person in the world.

She was wearing a beautiful silvery-white strapless dress; the bodice is covered with small, white roses and the skirt falls loosely to her knees. She awkwardly walks down a few steps; tripping a couple of times due to her immensely high heels and yet manages to look as if she's floating. Her wavy hair bounces slightly on her shoulders with every step she takes. Why is it that stairs always make a person look so enchanting? Her Egyptian-blue eyes meet mine and I can see a small red line under her iris making her eyes even bluer. I can tell she's been crying and want to run towards her and hold her in my arms telling her that everything will be okay. She looks away from my gaze and walks towards a group of Gryffindor girls, who are probably all waiting for their escorts.

"Shall we line up then?" I ask Cho and she nods. I take her hand and see an enormous smile forming on her face.

The enormous oak doors open and I enter the great hall with Cho on my right side. The great hall is decorated even more beautifully than the entrance hall. Snow is still falling mesmerizingly above our heads between the glistening icicles, the walls of the room have been painted silver and are decorated with black, satin curtains. Small, round tables have been placed around the room covered with shining, silver cloths and ice sculptures of the schools' badges. At the very end of the room a big Christmas tree stands proudly, covered with the snow that's falling form the ceiling. Every single detail of the room looks so beautiful- even the people.

I walk with Cho at my side through aisle created by the spectators. I look around the crowd seeking that one face that is so flawless. My eyes find her; she's standing alone and trying her best not to look at me. We stop walking when we reach the middle of the room. Music starts playing and I resentfully grab Cho by her waist and start dancing the routine we learnt from our heads of houses.

I start imagining what it would be like if I were dancing with Lynn and as the images start filling my mind my heart starts filling with bliss. She would probably say something like, "Merlin, I wanna bet you just love all the attention you're getting at the moment." I'd probably tell her that I was finally getting the attention of a certain someone who I was wishing would notice me. She'd probably not get that I was talking about her and get angry that I was thinking about some other 'bimbo' whilst dancing with her. Then I'd probably not have the balls to tell her I was talking about her and she's walk away from me... My heart sinks a few inches again and I can feel the bliss leaving.

I really like Lynn but sometime she can be so oblivious; I think it's pretty obvious that the way I act around her is different to the way I'd act around anyone else, but she's just so... stubborn and unwilling to believe that anyone thinks of her that way.

More people have joined us on the dance floor. I try to find Lynn in the dancing crowd but fail to do so. I look around the room seeking her Egyptian-blue eyes and finally find her sitting alone around a table with a Beauxbatons ice sculpture. Why is she sitting alone? Shouldn't she be dancing with Fred? I watch her eyes follow the movements of everyone dancing and notice they've become rather moist. Thinking it would be rude and rather mean to leave Cho to go talk to Lynn I keep dancing with her.

"So, do you have any idea what the next task will be?" Cho asks.

"Yeah," I say truthfully. "I figured it out just before the ball actually."

It was a really hard puzzle to figure out and yet it was so simple. I wanted to take a bath just before the ball and lately I've been carrying that blasted egg around with me everywhere I went because it was madness not knowing what the secret it kept was. So I went to the fifth floor and said the password to the fourth door next to the statue of Boris the Bewildered. I was peeling off my clothes when I accidently knocked over the egg, which I had cleverly placed on the edge of the large pool. I watched it bounce of every step until it had landed in on the last step. I undressed further and then dived in to fetch the egg. During its process of falling the egg had opened the clasp at the top and to my pleasant surprise it was not screeching. I swam further to it and heard a mesmerizing sound, like a lullaby in some foreign language. But then I heard that it wasn't a foreign language, it was English. I listened closely and was in some sort of trans as I heard the beautiful unearthly voice. It sang:

_"Come seek us where our voices sound,_

_We cannot sing above the ground,_

_And while you're searching, ponder this;_

_We've taken what you'll sorely miss,_

_An hour long you'll have to look,_

_And recover what we took,_

_But past an hour - the prospect's black,_

_Too late, it's gone, it won't come back."_

I grabbed the egg and swam back to surface. I gasped for breath and sat down on one of the steps. I thought about what I'd heard and tried to make sense out of it all. It's something that can't sing above the ground, I kept telling myself, and that part made perfectly sense since every time I opened it above water it made a horrible sound. _It can't sing above the ground... _I told myself again, _but it can sing in... Water!_ All of a sudden I knew the answer, I knew where I'd have to go on the twenty-fourth of February and I knew, though this part was slightly worrisome, that I only had one hour to find what I'd sorely miss and otherwise I would never see it again...

"Do you mind if I go talk to Marietta? She couldn't find anyone to go with so I promised to keep her company throughout the ball," Cho says snapping me out of my memory.

"Um... Yeah... Sure..." I say as I realize that it really didn't bother me at all.

"I'm sorry!" she says before turning around and heading towards her friend. I grab the chance to go talk to Lynn and immediately walk over to the table where I saw her before. She wasn't there anymore, however. I look around and see Angelina with either Fred or George.

"Hey, do you know where Lynn is?" I ask awkwardly.

"Um, I think I just saw her heading out of the entrance door." Angelina says.

"Thanks, bye." I say quickly and head through the entrance door.

It's actually snowing outside and the Hogwarts grounds look even more magical than ever. I look around but at a fist glimpse I can't see Lynn. The pearly white snow is illuminated by the full moon and the tremendous amount of stars out tonight. I look around again and see tracks in the snow, which are obviously formed by high heels. I follow the tracks and think I know where they're heading.

Under the now bald cherry tree I see Lynn sitting in the moonlight looking completely angelic.

"Hey," I say lamely as I near her. She looks up; her eyes are wet but I know she doesn't let her tears leave her eyes, she never does. I can't help but think she looks so beautiful: her dress of course looks breathtaking on her and she only used a bit of eyeliner to wing her eyes and a bit of mascara (she doesn't need make-up to look beautiful). She kind of looks like a fallen angle the way she's sitting and illuminated by the moon on her silvery-white dress.

"Hi," she croaks. I sit next to her and feel that she was smart enough to warm the ground before sitting on it. I put my arm around her and she leans her head against my shoulder.

"So what's up?" I ask as I tilt my head so that my eyes meet her Egyptian-blue ones.

* * *

**Author's Note: Hey lovely readers, I have to go back to school today :( and I REALLY don't want to because I have a very annoying class. Anywho, what did you think of the chapter? Please leave a review. I always really enjoy getting reviews, they never fail to make me smile :). Lynn's POV of the Yule Ball will be uploaded on Friday and I really hope you guys will like it :).**

**P.S: I know that in the original Harry Potter book Moody told Cedric to take his egg in the water but I really wanted him to figure it out himself in my version :).**

**Well, I'm going to go to school now (Woop-di-bloody-do).**

**love you all.**


	15. Chapter 14: Insecure Mess

**Chapter 14: Insecure Mess**

I sigh as I glare at my reflection. I hate mirrors. I always try to avoid them but sadly when you're going to a ball you need to look your best, even if you don't have anyone to look your best for. That's right! I don't have anyone to go to the ball with! Fred was ruddy right: I can't get a guy to go to the ball with me as more than friends because no one wants to go to the ball with a hideous creation like me! My vision blurs as I inspect my appearance. It's stupid, I know, but I can't help but feel like an ugly, fat, monster. Hell, the giant squid in the black lake would probably get a date before me!

My dormitory is completely empty because the other girls- who all have dates- already left. I'm still in my undergarments and just staring at the beautiful dress I bought. I look back at the mirror and my eyes dart immediately to my chest and stomach. For some blasted reason my chest seemed to be flat and my stomach round; not really the combination I'd prefer. I've never really been happy about my looks, they were one more thing that made me fit in less. I have brown hair, freckles and blue eyes: that's just a weird combination.

I walk over to my dress and slip it on. I go back to the mirror and look at myself. I sigh; I look like a bloody five-year-old who's dressing up as a princess. A memory flashes into my mind as that thought leaves.

One summer day Cedric and I were incredibly bored. We didn't want to color, play hide-and-seek or play tag. So we decided to build a (lame) tree house in one of the very large trees in my abnormally large garden. It wasn't very impressive, just a few branches put into place to form a roof.

"This is our castle!" Cedric suddenly said and a big smile formed on my face. "I am the prince and you are the princess locked up in the tower and I need to rescue you." I remember I got so mad because I wanted to be the one who did the rescuing, but society says that the man should always save the woman. Stupid society and its stupid ways to make people feel unwanted in this world.

Finally I gave in and pretended to be a princess locked up in a dragon-guarded castle. We used my dog, Skippy (named after my favorite peanut butter brand), as the dragon. Then Cedric picked up a stick and pretended to slay the monster that was keeping me captive. Skippy thought he wanted to play though and jumped up to bite the stick. This caused Cedric to lose balance and fall backwards. Skippy jumped on his chest and licked his face: Cedric was defeated by the dragon (it's funny how things change).

A smile forms on my face as the vivid memory fills my mind. Quickly my short moment of bliss is replaced with the horrible feeling of someone stabbing my heart repeatedly. Cedric has already found a new princess he'd slay dragons for and I am still locked up in my tower, completely forgotten and still waiting to be rescued. Unexpected tears start rolling down my cheeks. Merlin, I must I like this boy more than I allow myself to realize.

I wipe away the tears that are now blurring my vision completely and enter the bathroom. I splash water on my red, eyes and take a deep breath as I stare at my reflection. Great, thanks to those sneak attack tears I know look even worse! I comb my hair and apply a thin layer of mascara and eyeliner (I've never been really good at doing make-up). I look at myself in the mirror one last time and sigh: I could look worse.

I head out of the door and towards the great hall where my embarrassment will take place in just a few minutes. I don't even know why I'm doing this, but I don't really want to miss the yule ball because it may be one of the only balls I ever attend to. I walk down the steps leading towards the entrance hall wobbling on my inhumanly high heels. It's weird to think that this is the same entrance hall I'd spent so many hours doing prefect duties with Cedric. _Don't think about Cedric!_ I tell myself as I feel the stabbing feeling in my heart again. I look around at all the people wearing their most beautiful clothing. My eyes meet Cedric's chestnut-brown eyes. They look so sad when they see me, as if he knows I feel like absolute crap and wants to comfort me. _No! Cedric does not feel the same way about me, and thinking he does will only make me feel crappier- _I tell myself. I look away quickly and my eyes find my roommates. I walk towards the group of girls who all look more gorgeous than me and smile an awkward, fake smile.

"Hi guys! You all look so stunning!" I compliment trying to sound excited.

"So do you! I swear every single person was staring at you in aw when you walked down those stairs," Katie says and I smile sheepishly knowing that she was exaggerating but thinking it would be rude to call someone who just complimented you a liar.

We're allowed to enter the great hall and are assigned certain standing places. Naturally, because I don't have a date and all my friends do, I have to stand alone at the back of the crowd. Great! Shortly after everyone is placed the champions, together with their dates enter the magical winter wonderland. They glide towards the center of the room, where a giant Christmas tree is standing proudly, coated with glistening snowflakes. I try my hardest not to look at Cedric and Chang because I know that I won't be able to take that tonight; I'm just in a too fragile state at the moment. They reach the center of the room and the spectators gather round the happy couples. Music starts playing and the champions start to dance. I look around. Everyone looks so happy, and why shouldn't they be? Hogwarts almost never hosts parties because they simply don't trust their students enough. What do they think would happen? Someone would get pregnant by dancing?

Many couples have joined the champions on the dance floor and I take this as a cue to sit down at one of the enchanting tables and stuff my face. The small round tables look absolutely beautiful: they're covered with a silver cloth and big ice sculptures of the badges of the three schools that glisten beautifully in the light. I sit down at one of the tables with a Beauxbatons sculpture.

I glare at every couple dancing happily and can't help but think about what it would be like to dance with Cedric. I'd probably say something obnoxious, because that's what I do, even though it would most likely feel great to be held in his arms and glide through the room as if we were the only people on the earth. And there's the stabbing pain in my chest again. I should really stop making myself so miserable! I can feel my eyes fogging up when I see Chang flashing her perfect smile at Cedric. I can't stand this anymore! I can't stand him being happy without me when I'm so miserable without him. I stand up and feel a sickening warm feeling rushing towards my head. I want to burst out in tears right there right now but I know better than that. I bite as hard as I can on my lip until I start to taste blood. I head towards the entrance doors; I need fresh air to clear my head.

I push open the giant oak doors and am overcome with a glorious winter breeze. The full moon is shining proudly and beautifully on the snowy, white school grounds. I start walking; the snow is crunching under my weight with every step I take. I'm walking with no destination in mind, but let my feet decide where I want to go. I stop walking as I see the now bare cherry tree under which Cedric and I had spent a lunch break thinking about our late mothers. I run towards the tree which had made me feel so safe, and charm the ground that I want to sit on so that my butt doesn't freeze off.

I fill my lungs with the cold, fresh winter air and feel the heat leaving my face. I bring my legs up to my chest and fling my arms around them. Me feeling so bad is completely irrational.

"Hey," I hear a well-known masculine voice say. I look up and my eyes meet Cedric's beautiful chestnut-brown ones. I feel my heart beating violently against my ribs as I nudge away the urge to fling my arms around his neck.

"Hi," I whisper and my voice cracks. He sits down next to me and flings his left arm around my shoulder. I immediately feel protected. I place my head on his shoulder and the empty feeling inside me is slightly filled.

"So what's up?" he asks and our eyes meet as he awkwardly turns his head to look at me. I laugh in my head. As if it's that simple. I can't let my guard down and tell people how I feel, for some reason it's just impossible for me.

"Why aren't you inside with Cha-Cho?" I ask ignoring his question and I'm happy to find out that my voice has returned to its normal, steady state. His eyebrows meet each other as he frowns at me.

"She's inside keeping her friend who didn't have a date company," he answers with a sigh.

"So I'm not the only ugly loser who doesn't have a date? Joy!" I say with a vicious laugh. Cedric starts to genuinely laugh and I look puzzled at him.

"There is no way in hell that you are an ugly loser!" he laughs at me but I just humph in reply.

"I'm not as pretty- or thin- as Cho," I say darkly.

"That's true," Cedric says and I feel the stabbing feeling return. "You are far prettier than she." I look up at him sarcastically but see no trace on his face that he is lying. "And, there is no bloody way that you are fat- or fatter than Cho." I look in his eyes and smile awkwardly.

We sit in silence for a while taking in the beautiful scenery.

"Fred was bloody right," I sigh and I feel Cedric's muscles tensing up at the sound of Fred's name.

"What?" he growls.

"I couldn't get anyone to go to the ball with me as more than friends," I explain.

"He said that?" Cedric says forcing his voice to stay low but I can hear anger in it.

"Well not exactly," I say and explain the row I had with Fred.

When I'm done he starts laughing and I raise my eyebrows as if to ask what the bloody hell was so funny.

"Don't you get it?" he asks still laughing. "He meant that _he_ would rather go with you _as friends_ than go alone. Honestly, you can make any remark into an insult!"

"Well how the bloody hell was I supposed to know that?"

"Because no guy in their right mind would ever think that _you_ were not capable of having a date," he laughs.

"Well I wasn't capable," I point out. He smiles and holds me captive in his gaze.

"Not for the reasons you think," he says as he caresses my check and holds me closer. Somehow the brotherly arm around my shoulder has turned into a passionate embrace.

* * *

**Author's note: Hello lovely readers, this chapter was very difficult to write because I'm dealing with the same insecurities as she is at the moment. But I wanted her to have them because up until now she hasn't been very girly so I wanted some real girl drama in this fanfic. It's going to be hard to update every week (due to the heaps of homework I'm already getting) but I'll try my best. **

**I hope you liked this chapter. If you did please leave a review. If you didn't please leave me a review (because constructive criticism is always useful). **

**I'll try to post the second task (in Cedric's POV) on Monday but as I said before, I have A LOT of homework and I haven't finished the chapter yet. **

**Love you all.**


	16. Chapter 15: The Song of the Merpeople

**Chapter 15: The Song of the Merpeople**

**Cedric's POV**

I take a deep breath before I force myself off of my yellow, four-poster bed. My entire body is shaking as I check if all my valuables are still in my room: broom- check- favorite jumper that smells like Lynn because I enchanted it to preserve the smell- check- a picture of my mother- check- my mother's perfume (and the only thing I have left of her)- check. Everything I'd sorely miss is still here. I try to scavenge my brain for anything I'd miss if it wasn't there but can't think of anything. Defeated I decide to head to the hospital wing to pay my little sister a visit.

Every year my family and I engage ourselves in at least one muggle activity. This year we decided to go skiing. Georgie and I were, of course, very excited. We'd gone skiing a couple of times now and I used to always show off on the slopes by using magic whilst skiing. Now that Georgie is a witch, she wanted to try out my 'screw-driver', it's a fantastic trick: you use a levitation spell on yourself as you jump with your skis and then twirl around in the air at a very rapid pace. Georgia has, however, only had five lessons on levitation and only one on corpsal levitation. At first it looked like it was going to work, she's very talented at charms, but she couldn't hold on to the spell long enough to land safely and broke two arms, a rib, her collar bone and a leg.

Over the winter break Lynn and I had sent many letters to each other. She was stuck at Hogwarts because her father had to take care of her sick grandmother and things between her and Fred were still a bit too awkward for her to accept Mrs. Weasley's invitation for her to spend the holiday at the burrow. They made up, though, but they're not as close as they used to be. I know it's mean to say but I'm guiltily happy that this happened. At first it was heartbreaking to see Lynn so torn up about the fight with Fred. But when he apologized to her after the ball and explained everything I'd already explained to her under the cherry tree- about that he meant he wasn't talking about her not being able to find a date but him- she became happier and so did I because she was happy but not hanging out with Fred and George as much as before. I am so pathetic.

Lynn and I are finally friends, though every time I see her my heart tells me to fling my arms around her and never let her leave my embrace. Merlin, when did I get so pathetic? But I mean that's normal 'just-friend's' thoughts, right?

I sigh and put on my swim trunks and a white v-neck T-shirt. I go over my plan once more in my head: first I'll use the Bubble-head charm (to allow me to breathe under water), second I'll use the Designo spell (this will allow me to see a map of everything that is in a ten meter radius) and third I'll have to find whatever they've taken from me in less than an hour and if I don't... I trail away from that thought: I am going to find whatever they've stolen from me!

I head out of the dormitory door and say good-bye to Jake who wishes me luck. I head straight to the Hospital wing to visit my broken baby sister. I feel so guilty about her injury. I know it isn't my fault that she fell and then slid into a bunch of trees, but if I hadn't showed her all of my tricks she wouldn't have tried them.

"Hey," I say as I approach the fourth bed on the right.

"Hi," she says with a smile as radiant as the sun.

"You feeling better?" I ask.

"Well Madam Pomfrey has already cured all of my bones but she says I should stay here for two more days so that my bones can reach their full strength, or something like that. I feel so bad that I can't see you today, though! But after the first task I'm kind of relieved I don't need to see it. At least this time I'm already in the hospital wing to welcome you after you've completed the task," she giggles and I childishly stick out my tongue.

I keep her company until I hear the bells chime twelve times. I sigh, say goodbye to my little sister and kiss the top of her head. I try to keep my nerves quiet as I walk with my head held high through the school. As I'm passing by people wish my good luck. I only smile at them because I know that if I say anything my breakfast might leave my stomach. I push open the heavy, oak entrance doors and am blinded by the warm, post-winter sun.

The grounds are muddy and wet from the melted snow and squish under my feet as I walk. By the time I've reached the boats leading towards the stadium- from were the students will watch the task on four big screens that show live footage on the task- my shoes and shins are covered with lumpy mud. Once the boat feels my weight enter its compartment it magically floats effortlessly through the dark water towards the stadium.

The carnivorous butterflies flittering around in my stomach are killing me; I'm really bad with handling nerves. One time I was so nervous for a quidditch match against Ravenclaw I felt like I was going to explode- and I more or less did because I was sick five times. I also was allowed special permission to use a tonic against the nerves last year so that I could pass my O.W.L's. But sadly tonics and such aren't allowed to be used in the Triwizard tournament.

I can feel my hands shaking as I revise my plan in my head repeatedly and step out of the boat. I try to find Lynn in the crowd but can't find her. Great, so the only person I really need at the moment is either hidden from sight or not watching. My shaking legs are barely able to support my weight but I manage to stumble towards the champions' tent, where I'll have to wait until it's time to search for my lost possession. I enter the tent and nod slightly to the other champions as a greeting. I walk towards the end of the tent and sit down on a comfortable looking couch.

"Hello my lovely champions!" an annoying high-pitched voice says. I look up and see Rita Skeeter entering the tent wearing a tight, shiny, blue outfit. "Now Harry, dear, are you nervous? Have you got anything to say to your fans reading the prophet? Do you wish your parents were here to see this glorious moment?" Skeeter inquires Harry whilst her flying quill scratches over a notepad at a rapid pace.

"No I don't have anything to say!" Harry snaps back through gritted teeth and walks away. Skeeter now notices me and a smile forms on her plastic face.

"Ah, Cedric, jealous I was interviewing Harry before you?" she asks whilst pouting her lips and I watch her quill soar over the notepad.

"No," I answer simply through gritted teeth.

"It's quite alright dear, everyone likes to be in the spotlight! Now, many readers want to now how things are going between you and the Chang girl," I raise my eyebrows at her whilst eyeing the quill.

"Well you clearly already seem to have a story so why do you even need to interview me? You're going to tell lies anyway, goodbye Ms. Skeeter," I say through gritted teeth and walk away.

Dumbledore's voice booms through the stadium and I take that as a queue to get ready for the task. As the rest of the champions and I leave the tent the spectators roar with applause. I force a smile on my pale face and try to find Lynn's face in the crowd, without success. I walk alongside the rest of the champions towards Dumbledore, who is explaining the task to the crowd. A couple of 'ohs' and 'ahs' later Dumbledore whistles and I jump into the lake.

As I burst through the surface of the dark water millions of tiny bubbles burst free tickling me as they brush past my bare skin trying to reach surface. I grab my wand and magic a bubble around my nose and mouth to allow me to breathe. I now use the Desingo charm to see a map of the lake. I can see three red dots that are gradually creeping away from my green dot but I still have no bloody idea where to go so I just start swimming in a random direction.

Forty-five minutes left to retrieve what I'd sorely miss. I can only see one other dot on my map so either I'm going in the right direction together with another champion or we're both going the wrong way and we'll never see our possessions.

Thirty minutes left. The other champion's dot has vanished and I'm still wandering around in the black waters without a single clue of where I'm going. I swim over some weed and feel something enclosing around my ankle. The grip becomes tighter and I can feel the numbness taking over in my left foot. I look around and see the red, soulless eyes of a grindylow staring back into mine. I try to wriggle my foot free but the grip is too strong. Another grindylow swims into sight and wraps its immensely long fingers around my neck. My windpipe is completely shut off and I can't even let the slightest bit of air in my lungs.

Muffled noises break free from my mouth as I try to break free from the gindylows' grip. I grab my wand and think 'immobulus' as hard as I can, but it doesn't work. I can feel every bit of life drain out of my body. I'm so glad that Georgia can't see this, that she can't see me loosing consciousness whilst I'm being choked to death. It's so painful to think that Lynn never found out how I feel about her, but maybe that's for the best.

Every bit of strength in my body has vanished and so has my sight. I hear a distant sound. Almost like a lullaby in a foreign language. I feel so at peace- am I dead? No, if I were dead the pain in my throat wouldn't be there. I listen to the lulling sounds and realize that it isn't a foreign language; it's English.

_"Come seek us where our voices sound,_

_We cannot sing above the ground,_

_And while you're searching, ponder this;_

_We've taken what you'll sorely miss,_

_An hour long you'll have to look,_

_And recover what we took,_

_But past an hour - the prospect's black,_

_Too late, it's gone, it won't come back."_

But past an hour-the prospect's black, too late, it's gone, it won't come back. The sentence echoes through my empty mind as I try to figure out what it means. What is the voice singing about? Where am I? Why is my throat hurting so badly? An image of an unconscious girl floating in black water emerges into my mind. Her face is pale and her lips are blood red. Somehow it seems like I know this girl. Perhaps from a dream or a past life. Her eyelids open very abruptly and reveal beautiful Egyptian-blue irises. _Lynn!_

I wake up out of my trans and see vivid blue sparks emerging out of the stick I'm holding in my hands. All of a sudden I can breathe again. I'm hit with sudden consciousness and confusion. How did my wand do magic without me incanting a spell? And why did I see images of a drowning Lynn?

I look at my watch: fifteen minutes left. As if everything has suddenly become clear to me I allow my arms to guide my weak body. My brain is completely oblivious to the knowledge my arms apparently have as I glide effortlessly through the water. In no less than five minutes I find myself in a Mertown. I pay no attention to the staring merpeople and allow my arms to guide me further.

All of a sudden I see Harry floating in front of four lifeless bodies. Panic takes over as I see that one of the bodies is Lynn. I swim towards her and hold her face in my hands.

"Lynn!" I shout as I feel her pulse; she's still alive. I realize that her ankles are tied together and try to undo the knot.

"Harry! Why aren't you hurrying up? We only have ten minutes until they vanish forever!" I say as my level of panic rises.

"I can't leave Hermione here! I have to see if Krum saves her otherwise I'll do it myself."

The knot around Lynn's ankles is extremely tight and won't budge. I look around for a sharp object but find nothing. I grab my wand and scavenge my mind to find a spell that can cut through hard substances. _Come on! _I tell myself as I can literally hear my time ticking away. _Come on! You know this!_

"Diffindo!" I shout as I watch the vine tied around her ankles loosen its grip allowing Lynn to float gradually towards the surface.

"Don't waste too much time!" I warn Harry, "The others will be on time, don't worry!"

I grab Lynn's wrist and push away the water that's in between the surface and me with all my might. All my muscles hurt and I feel exhausted but I have to keep going, for Lynn. My free arm is moving spastically as I try to reach the surface as soon as possible but that only tires me more.

_Only a few more meters_, I tell myself as I feel Lynn's wrist slipping out of my grip. I pull her up so that she's leveled with me and put my arm around her waist. I can already see the surface and push through the water with every bit of determination that's left in my body.

Finally we break through the surface and I can hear everyone cheering happily. I swim towards the stadium, never loosening my bone-crashing grip on Lynn, and heave her onto the platform. Jake helps me lift her body and then helps me get out of the water.

I gasp for air as I push away the crowd around Lynn's still lifeless body. I crouch beside her and hold her hand.

"Lynn, wake up! Please!" I plead quietly as I stare down at her cold, lifeless body. "Please Lynn!" I say as my eyes are becoming moist but she remains immobile. Her red lips are slightly apart, her eyes are closed and her wet hair sticks to her face- _she could just as well be sleeping-_ I tell my self. "Lynn!" my voice breaks as I force back my tears and try to feel her pulse. As I'm reaching for her wrist her eyelids start to flutter slightly. She opens her eyes and I'm overcome with absolute bliss when her Egyptian-blue eyes look back into mine. She smiles weakly at me and flings her arms around my neck and before I know what's happening she kisses me.

* * *

**Author's note: Hello lovely readers, I can't believe I actually finished this chapter! I was very determined to post it today. What did you think? Please leave a review, I really love reading them. I'll try to post the next chapter next week Monday, but again no promises because I'm very busy with school already.**

**Love you all**


	17. Chapter 16: The Limbo

**Chapter 16: the Limbo**

"Lynn, wake up! Please!" a distant voice whispers in my ear. I try to ignore it. I must find out what that little ball of light is and why it keeps moving away from me. "Please Lynn!" the pleading voice becomes louder as the light fades slightly. My eyes flutter open and I am over come with an over exposure of sunlight. A shadowy figure blocks out the light. I try to focus on the shadow as all my colors return to my sight. Foggy chestnut-brown eyes are staring down at me. _Cedric_, my head is filled with blissful memories as the name enters my mind. I smile weakly at the boy who had brought so much misery and happiness to my life and before I can rationally think about anything I fling my arms around his neck and press my lips against his.

I can hear the crowd say "awww," in sync and come to my senses. I part from the kiss and feel my face beginning to burn.

"Sorry," I mumble as I direct my eyes at the floor. Krum arrives with Hermione and our spectators direct their attention away from us.

"What for?" Cedric asks after a while and I dare to avert my eyes back at his.

"I..." I start to say as I try to find an excuse for my moment of weakness. "I was confused due to inhaling too much water," I fill in lamely. I start to look at my wet shoes, which have become so much more interesting now that there's an air of awkwardness hanging above us.

So many words are trying to force my mouth open to make themselves audible, but I bite on my lower lip to force them back. _Cedric can't know_, I tell myself repeatedly. But the answer to why he isn't allowed to know that I like him remains a mystery. I guess living in some kind of limbo in which you don't know whether or not he likes you back is better than getting your heart broken and finding out he doesn't like you.

We sit awkwardly next to each other as we wait for the judges to score the champions.

"Silence!" Dumbledore's voice roars over the chatting crowd and a mysterious silence creeps over the stadium.

"We award first place to... Mr. Diggory, who was first to arrive and showed an excellent use of the bubble-head charm," the entire stadium booms out into pandemonium as the Hogwarts students clap and the other schools boo. I look at Cedric. He doesn't look happy at all. His face is white and sorrow has filled his eyes. I want to ask him why but decide it's not a good idea.

We walk back to the castle in silence. Cedric's face never changes its expression. He just looks out in front of him, as if in some kind of trance. We reach the giant doors and enter the castle and Cedric pushes them open. I want to break the silence and congratulate him and tell him how I feel, but I decide that it's best that I remain in the limbo. We reach the grand staircase and part ways.

"Bye," I say silently as Cedric walks away without another glance back. It feels as if someone is stabbing a knife into my chest as I watch the back of his head turn blurry and then completely out of sight. But hey, this is what I want. The limbo. I sigh and decide to head back to the common room. The weight of my body seems to double with every step I take but I force myself to continue. I dryly mumble the password to the fat lady and head towards the girls' dormitory without paying attention to my surroundings. After all, nothing matters in the limbo and pain and other feelings should just be a vague memory of sorts. Right?

I walk against the door and immediately head towards my bed. I dive face forward onto my red duvet. As I hit the soft mattress the genuine sorrow I'm feeling hits. Hard. I can feel my eyes starting to tear and for once in my life I don't give a shit. This isn't the limbo. This is hell.

* * *

My eyes sting as I force them open. I walk towards the mirror and groan when I see two puffy, blue eyes staring back at me. I stumble towards the bathroom and splash cold water on my face in attempt to get rid of the swollenness. But, just my luck, it doesn't work. I sigh in defeat and allow my roommates to enter. I get some concerned glances, which I try to ignore, and head out for an early breakfast.

I enter the great hall and my eyes immediately find Cedric's. I quickly avert them to my feet and slouch toward the Gryffindor table. A few owls swoop down from the enchanted ceiling, delivering news from the outside world. Kylie, my beautiful albino owl, drops the first letter I have received in four years on my plate. I stare at it dryly thinking of possible motives for this unusual event. I give the white fluff ball an owl treat and scratch her between the ears before eventually tearing open the letter seal.

_Dearest Baby Girl,_

_I heard you were put in a lake whilst unconscious! What the bloody hell are they thinking? Are you all right? Do you want to come back home? I swear, if this school of yours makes one more bloody mistake I will take you home, immediately!_

_Lots of hugs and kisses,_

_Your daddy._

I smile sheepishly at my dad's messy handwriting and decide to write back.

_Hey dad,_

_Everything's fine, I only lost one leg, so whatever: I still have the other one. Just kidding, the other one is also lost. Okay, now I'm really kidding! My school is perfectly safe, I'm in perfect health and I'm perfectly happy here. How's everything at home? Have you missed my amazing sense of humor?_

_Lots of love,_

_Your baby girl._

I hate lying to my dad, but if I'd tell him that it felt as if someone was sadistically toying with my heart he'd go insane. Kylie sticks out her paw to allow me to tie the letter on. I scratch her behind her ears once more and watch her fly into the infinite sky.

* * *

"You coming?" Angelina asks as I stare at my packed shoulder bag. Why did I agree to go 'out' with them? I hate Hogsmeade: with its over priced butterbeer and all the stupid 'adorable' little shops.

"Sure," I answer dryly, and without another word we head out into the cold air.

I barely listen to the endless conversations about magical, mood candles (which, to me, just seemed like normal every day candles) and magical stardust that makes your ceiling look like the night sky (until the effect wears off). Okay, I have to admit, the stardust seems pretty cool, but to pay 100 Galleons for something that only lasts for a week?

After tailing my roommates towards every ridiculous shop you could think of we eventually end up at the three broomsticks. Ever since everyone turned sixteen all they drink when they go out is firewhiskey, but I have sworn to never drink it ever again, since my little incident with Fred.

"Lynn, your lover has just entered the building!" Katie says through hiccups. I look around and see Cedric's gloomy expression illuminated by the candlelight.

"He's not my lover," I mumble hoarsely due to lack of speaking.

"Oh no, that's right," Alicia says. "You just snog random blokes and afterward you tell 'm it didn't mean anything."

I blink dryly at her, stand up and walk away from the table without saying anything.

"Meet me at the cherry tree, tonight after dinner," I mumble to Cedric as I walk past.

As I head back to the castle images of possible conversations with Alicia fill my mind, but sadly these glorious moments shall never happen. Alicia is such a hypocrite, but when she snogs random guys it's okay, because well, everything is okay when _she_ does it. Honestly, you'd think she was Merlin's wife; the way she acts and the way she expects people to treat her. I know very well that my decision-making this year hasn't been the best- I still cringe every time I think about my actions- so I don't need some spoiled brat to tell me that I _shouldn't _snog with my friends.

I open the giant door with so much force and slam it shut. I can hear a murmur of disagreement from the portraits and give them a foul stare.

"How rude," I hear a posh woman's voice say as I head back to the girls' dormitories to mentally prepare myself.

* * *

After dinner I immediately go outside and toward the cherry tree. Cedric isn't there yet, but I didn't expect him to be. I sit down and wait. I hear a twig snap and look to the right. But it was just a bird. I sigh and look at the big clock on the castle. I've already been waiting for half an hour.

The clock strikes eight times and I stand up to leave. I start walking back to the castle. I feel like I'm crumbling into little pieces and vanishing into oblivion. I should have known he wouldn't have come. As I reach out to push open the door it already starts to open.

"Cedric," I gasp. "You... Came." I can feel my heart beating faster.

"Believe me, it's not wholeheartedly," he mumbles under his breath while his face still holds no expression. I bite down my quivering lip and try to group the words I want to say.

"Sorry," I mumble.

"What for?" he asks dryly and the painful memory of yesterday enters my mind again.

"For lying to you," I say as I scavenge my entire body for courage. "I told you I kissed you because I was confused. But..."

"Stop," he says in the same monotonous voice as before. "Just stop with this act of yours. It's all bullshit. You keep toying with everyone's emotions and then later you come up with some lame excuse explaining why, but it's all bullshit. So just do everyone a favor and stop." he turns around and starts walking away. I can literally feel every inch of my body shaking and every muscle giving way. If I thought my heart hurt badly before I was clearly delusional, for the pain I am feeling at this very moment is far worse than I have ever experienced.

"Cedric wait," I call after him. "I love you."

* * *

**Author's note: Hello my lovely readers! I am so sorry I haven't posted in ages! But, due to many reasons (too much school work and my laptop dying on me (it's come back to life now so yay!)) I just couldn't come round to writing. So again I'm so sorry! I'll **_**try **_**to write more regularly now that my laptop has revived again but no promises. Please don't be afraid to leave a review and tell me what you think. **

**Love you all. **


	18. Chapter 17: Detention

**Chapter 17: Detention**

"Cedric wait," I call after him. "I love you." It's out before I can stop myself. I just threw the l-bomb at Cedric! I can feel my cheeks burning as he turns around. He looks confused.

"What?" he asks hoarsely. Well there's no way in hell I'm saying that again.

"Um," I sputter. "I... Um," but before I can think of anything to say I feel the warmth of Cedric's lips on mine. My hands reach for the hair on the nape of his neck and his to the small of my back. For a few moments I forget about all my problems and all my pains seem to have left. For a few moments we are one.

We break apart and I find myself longing for more. His eyes gaze into mine and for one wonderful moment it seems as if we are the only two people alive, in a world where problems don't exist.

"My oh my, what have we here? Two prefects out of bed at this time... And look, they aren't on the patrol duty list," a soft sneer says. I avert my eyes away from Cedric's and find professor Snape's lifeless ones looking back at me.

"Do you have any idea how late it is?" he asks me as he looks down at me over his crocked nose.

"No, but I'm guessing you do, so it confuses me why you're asking us," I say, sounding more courageous than I feel.

"I was going to subdue with taking forty points from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, but that comment was so good it just earned the both of you a weeks detention with me. You will start tomorrow after school. Now go to your dormitories."

I look at Cedric with an apologetic expression on my face hoping to see a reassuring smile planted on his face but instead I find the back of his head. I sigh and start the tiring walk toward the Gryffindor common room.

* * *

It's amazing how one event can cause a person to lay awake for hours and hours. I replay the visions of the previous moment in my mind as if trying to find something I missed. One tiny detail that immediately changes everything. I told Cedric I loved him and he kissed me, but he didn't say anything so maybe he doesn't feel anything for me. But then why would he kiss me? To make the moment les awkward, perhaps? Or because he does feel something for me. The whole scenerio just makes my brains want to explode and my heart run a marthon. I close my eyes once more and try to clear my head. My mother always told me that if you can't sleep you have to rest your entire body and let all your thoughts disolve into nothingness as you become one with your mattress and pillow. But I never knew what she meant with that so my eyelids shoot open once again.

I go to the bathroom and splash my face with cold water in hope that that will restore the sleep to my eyes. But allas, it wakes me up even more. I can hear an alarm clock going off from inside and groan as I push the bathroom door open and head outside my dormitory to wake up the remaining Gryffindor population. Once everyone's awake I head downstairs to drink buckets of coffee.

* * *

With beady eyes I enter the dungeon, which Snape had turned into a classroom when he started teaching. The nauseating smell of a Hog-boil potion penetrates my senses and forces my eyes to water. I sit down behind an empty table as the rest of the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw students enter the sinister room.

"Sir, could we please open a window? It smells ghastly in here!" a Ravenclaw girl, whose name I've never known, asks.

"We are ten feet bellow the ground, unless you fancy breathing in dirt- which I'd have no objection to was it not that I'm in the same room as you- I don't think that that is the most clever thing to do," Snape answers monotonously as the girl sits down quietly with a face as red as the twins' hair.

"Can anyone tell me from what type of potion this vile smell comes from?" I raise my hand up slowly. "Pitiful," he says as he looks through the room of unraised hands, I cough slightly so that he can notice mine but it's like I'm invisible to the man with the cold black eyes.

"This," he says as he points to the cauldron, "is a Hog-boil potion. Now, can anyone tell me what a Hog-boil potion is used for?" again my hand is the only one that is up. "My, my it's as if you become dumber each year," he says as he again looks over my hand. "A Hog-boil potion is used to make someone sick, the effects look like the symptoms of a flu, which makes this potion so deadly; if treated incorrectly the effects may never go away." The entire class is dead silent as he writes down all the ingredients needed to make the potion on the black board.

"In class you will make this potion and then for homework I want you each to write an essay about the cure for a Hog-boil potion, which is due tomorrow."

We all start to chop boil and pour the puss that comes out into the cauldron. Next we add water taken from the pixie streams and heat it up until it starts to cook. Then the final ingredient is the root of a rose. I stir the potion three times clockwise and then five times anticlockwise and end up with a potion that looks exactly like Snape's.

When the lesson ends Snape walks around to inspect every cauldron muttering things like 'dreadful', 'were you dropped on your head when you were a child' or 'you call this a potion?'. When he comes to me, however, he merely grins and says, "Well, well, well let's hope you're just as good at cleaning this potion as you are at making it. I do look forward to our detention together, class dismissed."

I had entered the room with tiny beaded eyes and yet I'm leaving it with eyes the size of the moon. Is it even legal to let someone clean out cauldrons with Hog-boil potions? _Maybe, with magic_, I say to myself, though something tells me that wands won't be allowed in Snape's dungeon.

* * *

After my last lesson- Defense against the dark arts, in which Moody sent Hinkypunks loose on us saying that it would train us in combat- I descend the many stairs leading toward the dungeons. I knock on the small, tatty, wooden door and hear Snape's ice-cold voice replying the knock with "enter." My hand shakes as I turn the golden knob and push open the door with a loud creak. The room is entirely dark, as usual, and I can only just see Snape's greasy hair reflecting the little candlelight.

When Cedric enters, shortly after me, Snape rises from behind his desk and snarls, "because you both have prefect duties tonight I can only make you work until ten. But believe me, the nights on which you don't have prefect duties you will be working until twelve."

My lips part slightly as I force back the word hypocrite. I mean, what in Merlin's name does he think he's doing? First he tells us off for being out of bed past ten O'clock and now he's forcing us to do so?

"But sir, what about supper?" Cedric says softly and my heart beats slightly quicker at the sound of his voice.

"You will have your evening meals here, with me," Snape snarls and I bite down my lip to force back all my clever comments; Cedric shouldn't be punished even more because of me.

"Now, I know you two are familiar with this," he says as he lifts up a cauldron with a fuming acid, green liquid in it: the Hog-boil potion. "I want each of these cauldrons spotless at the end of the night and if I catch either one of you with a wand, your detention will be doubled." He hands us each a bucket of water and a worn cloth and sits back down behind his desk with a smug grin on his greasy face.

We spend hours cleaning the cauldrons not saying a word and trying very carefully not to let the liquid touch our skins when finally Snape says, "very well here is a sandwich." Wow I really never thought I'd ever hear those words coming out of Snape's mouth. We awkwardly eat the sandwiches in silence as I pray to Merlin that Snape didn't 'accidently' drop them in one of the cauldrons. When we're done eating, Snape finally says, "you are dismissed." I don't need him to say that again. I immediately head toward the door and breathe in the fresh hallway air- anything is better than Snape's dungeon.

"Well... That was... Fun," I say as we reach the grand entrance. Cedric smirks and we sit down.

"I really can't do that again for six days," Cedric sighs.

"Sorry," I say quietly.

"For what?"

"For getting you into this! I should've just held my tongue!"

"Something tells me that Snape would've given us detention no matter what," he says with a reassuring smile. I tweak up the corners of my lips and an awkward silence grows. We sit in silence for what seems like hours and every time I want to say something I talk myself out of it. _You said enough last night, now it's his turn to say something_, I tell myself in my head.

I glance at my watch: five to twelve. "Well, it's time to go," I say awkwardly as I stand up and ready myself to leave.

"Wait," Cedric sighs. "I can't go to my common room until I've told you this. Because, frankly, I can't afford another sleepless night." He pauses and I can see in his that he's trying to find the right words to say. "I spent the entire night preparing this speech, but nothing seemed to sound right in my mind so I guess I'll just have to go with the flow- wow I can't believe I just said that," he laughs an awkward high-pitched laugh and clears his throat. "You see, before last night I thought you enjoyed making me feel miserable because I made you feel miserable the previous years. I thought you enjoyed playing with people's emotions and feelings and I just couldn't stand it because... Well... Yeah... I was done with all the drama that comes with being around you and done with all the mixed emotions. But then you said what you said and I realized the only one who was making me feel miserable, was... Me. Because I never told you... That I think you're the most beautiful girl at Hogwarts- in the world even- and I'm crazy about you." A smile forces itself on my face as I wrap my arms around his neck and lean in to a kiss.

"I'm crazy about you too," I say with a giggle as we part.

* * *

**Author's note:** on the first day of christmas LynnWeasley gave to me, a new chapter of Empty. Okay It's not christmas anymore but still Merry Christmas! I hope you all had a better christmas than I did and got a lot of awesome presents! Could you please tell me what you think about the story or the way it's written and all that jazz and don't be afraid to leave writing tips or constructive criticism because I know it's not perfect and I'd like to know how I can improve.

lots of love and again merry (late) Christmas and (an early) happy new year!


	19. Chapter 18:The door on the seventh floor

**Chapter 18: The door on the seventh floor**

I guess detention with Snape wasn't too bad; he gave me food and I got to see Cedric more often. Though people in my house weren't too happy about me loosing forty points, but people don't like me anyway so nothing really changed. Well tonight is finally the last night of Cedric and my 'sufferings' and Snape has made us clean the dungeons because some first year blew up their wiggenweld potion. Lucky for us: it's Sunday night and so our prefect duties start at nine.

"You may go," Snape snarls as we hear the bells chime nine times.

"Well it was a pleasure spending my evenings with you sir and I just want to say thank you for this great opportunity," I say with a big cheesy smile. Snape merely looks coldly at me.

I start to giggle uncontrollably as we close the worn down door behind us. Cedric wraps his arm around my shoulders and we start to ascend the stairs leading to the entrance hall. We sit down at our usual spot and Cedric's arm never leaves its spot.

"We should celebrate," Cedric says out of the blue.

"What?" I ask distantly.

"We should celebrate that our detentions are over," he says.

"How?" I ask intrigued.

"A date," he says nonchalantly.

"Hmm, Cedric Diggory asking me out on a date? How cute!" I giggle and his cheeks turn slightly pink. "But the next Hogsmeade trip isn't for another six weeks or so."

"Who said I wanted to take you Hogsmeade? Now, do you want to go on a date with me?"

"I'll have to think about," I say playfully as his arm retreats. "Of course I do!" I say as I grab his arm and put it where it belongs: around my shoulders.

I lean my head on his shoulder and doze off slightly during the rest of our duties. It isn't until Cedric kisses the top of my head and whispers my name that I realize I was actually asleep.

"Hmm?" I say as I try my best to open my eyes.

"It's time to go," he whispers.

"No," I protest.

"Come on, I'll walk you to your common room."

"What a gentle man," I snort.

Cedric half carries me up all the way to the seventh floor and stops at the top of the stairs because he obviously doesn't know where the Gryffindor common room is.

"Goodnight," he says as he gently kisses the top of my head.

"Goodnight," I answer as wrap my arms around his torso and hide my face in his chest. I could stay there forever, just inhaling his scent and resting my head against his hard chest.

"Where are you taking me," I say randomly as I realize that that question had never been answered.

"Just meet me in that corridor Tuesday night at ten and only think about the date," I raise my eyebrows at him. "Just trust me."

"You just finished your detention and now you're going to roam the corridors after ten? My, my I've found myself a rebel, or have I just had a bad influence on you?"

"Goodnight Lynn."

"'Night Cedric," I say as I unwrap my arms and head towards the painting of the fat lady.

"What? No goodnight kiss?" he calls after me and I turn around and peck him on the cheek. "That was pathetic," he whispers as he presses his lips against mine. I smile as we part and in silence we each go our own ways.

With an enormous grin on my face I enter through the portrait hole, walk up the stairs leading towards my bed and with the same grin I fall asleep in no less than a second.

I wake up and find that the stupid grin is still on my face. _Damnit_. This totally ruins my reputation of being as emotionless as a dementor. I put on my robes and head out of the dormitory followed by confused looks from my roommates. I start with waking everyone up and immediately head for breakfast.

But as I look at the delicious food in front of me, I realize that I am not hungry, not even a bit. Damn those butterflies in my stomach! I sigh and grab a cup of coffee.

"Good morning!" I say as Fred and George sit down opposite me.

"George," Fred says thoughtfully, "Has Dumbledore called off all exams again?"

"Nope."

"Then someone must've jinxed Lynn because this morning is far from good."

"Oh, haha," I say sarcastically.

"There you go! That's how we know you!" George says triumphantly.

The day goes by too slowly and I'm filled with so much joy when it's finally ten o'clock and I can go do prefect rounds with Cedric. Wow, if I'd say that to myself in the past I would've probably punched myself in the face- and that would have been a trauma I'd never get over.

"Hey," I say as I reach the bottom of the stairs and sit down next to Cedric.

"Hi," he says as he wraps his arm around my shoulders. "Looking forward to tomorrow?"

"What's tomorrow?" I ask jokingly. He looks at me with a sarcastic frown which I imitate and we burst out laughing.

When our duties are over Cedric walks me up to my common room again. I beam up at him when we've reached the top and he looks down at me with a trace of proudness lingering on his face. He bites down on his lower lip and leans closer to my face. He leans his forehead on mine, causing a strand of hair to fly in front of my face. He pushes it back behind my ear caressing my cheek as he does.

"Goodnight," he whispers as he presses his lips against mine.

"'Night," I say but it comes out as a whisper. "See you tomorrow," I say with the same soft voice.

* * *

I feel like a child waiting for Christmas to come as I try my best to focus on anything besides my date with Cedric. But that is sadly impossible. Begrudgingly I slouch around school and try to answer my usual amount of questions: 3, not too many so that people don't think I'm a know-it-all but not too little so that people don't think I'm stupid. The time goes by slowly but somehow I manage to get through the day. I run up towards the Gryffindor common room and start my preparations.

I look at my clock: 9:15. Merlin, why is it so hard to find something suitable to wear? At times like these I am so happy that we have school uniforms. I could just wear that? And just tell him that I had no time to change. Ugh he's not _that_ stupid! For the billionth time I examine the contents of my closet hoping that this time the most perfect, most adorable, most awesome outfit will jump out and say "Hey wear me!". Okay, I may have had a bit too much coffee today.

"Accio perfect outfit," I murmur as I take out my wand, but it has no effect.

"Did you honestly think that that would work?" I hear someone behind me smirk. It's Angelina. "What do you need 'a perfect outfit' for anyway?" she asks with raised eyebrows. I can feel my cheeks burning but decide to tell her anyway, who knows maybe she could be useful.

"So please help me find something perfect to wear!" I plead after telling her _everything. _She smiles and starts looking with me.

"Don't you have any dresses?" she exclaims after only a minute of looking. "Here borrow this one," she says as she walks over towards her cupboard and takes out a short, white, floral laced dress. I smile at her as she hands me the dress.

"Now, shoes. Which ones are you going to wear?"

"These?" I say with a small voice as I point at my black sneakers.

"Merlin, just take these," she hands me simple black heels.

"Thank you," I say with big puppy eyes.

"Merlin! You look beautiful!" Angelina says as I walk through the bathroom door.

"Thank you," I say as I look at my clock. "Merlin! I'm late! Bye and thank you so much!" I call behind me as I run out of the dormitory and towards the corridor Cedric pointed at.

_Okay think about my date with Cedric,_ I think to myself as I walk through the entirely empty corridor. _I'm here for my date with Cedric. My date with Cedric. My date..._ As I'm thinking as hard as I can a door suddenly appears. I look around me to see if anyone is casting a spell but find no one. The door opens.

"You found it," Cedric says with a smirk.

"Shit!" I scream.

"Oh sorry, did I scare you?" he laughs.

"What the bloody hell is this!" I exclaim

"This is the come and go room," he says as he fully opens the door to show me what's inside.

"Oh Merlin," I yelp as I enter a beautiful grass field. _How did he know?_

"Is this..."

"The hilltop where we met? Yes. I must say I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that this was your dream destination because-"

"Wait, what? What d'you mean found out?"

"Let me explain how this room works. You see I wanted to take you on the perfect date some time back and when I was walking around the corridors waiting for you to come out of the common room I was only thinking about one thing: a perfect date for you. And then this door appeared and well first my reaction was kind of like yours but I decided to open the door. But things didn't become clearer because I thought I'd just used some weird kind of portkey or something, but then I realized that this was your dream destination and I was so happy because... You remember where we met," He says with a humungous smile. I can feel the heat rising to my cheeks.

"Well, I never thought I'd say this but you clean up nicely Diggory," I say after a while to break the awkward silence.

"I was about to say the same thing about you, Vogel," I burst out laughing as he grabs my hand and leads me up the hill, where a picnic blanket and basket is waiting for us.

* * *

"What are you thinking about?" Cedric asks as we're gazing into the endless night sky.

"The day we met," I say with a smile.

"It was a historical moment wasn't it?" he says jokingly.

"No," I reply. "It was magical."

"How so?"

"You may've always been popular and had billions of friends but... You were my first. No one had ever played with me for that long without complaining to their parents or saying I was stupid. And then, when we were saying goodbye, you hugged me and I was so confused: I'd always watched children playing and making friends at school but I'd never really imagined having one myself..."

"That is possibly the saddest and most beautiful story I've ever heard," he replies slightly hoarse and I start laughing.

I nestle my head onto his shoulder and wrap my arms tightly around his torso and from now on I'm never letting him go.

* * *

**Author's note: Okay, I'm not really happy with the result of this chapter but I haven't posted in ages so I thought, ****_why the hell not?_**** But I think I may rewrite it. Anywho, if you liked it, tell me and I won't rewrite, if you didn't like it tell me anyway and I'll rewrite it.**

**lots of love,**

**LynnWeasley**


	20. Chapter 19: The Final Task

**Chapter 19: The final task**

**Cedric POV**

The night before the 24th of June I am overcome with the same insomnia that has been plaguing my mind for the last month. My sleep keeps on fighting against nerves, nightmares and paranoid thoughts yet, ironically, it's too tired to win. I curse my younger self for ever wanting to stay up for entire nights and finally see that this was a foolish desire of mine.

My eyes fling open as the same nightmare, which has been haunting my mind every time I am lucky enough to actually fall asleep, enters my mind. I groan and slide out of my bed to splash cool water on my sweating face.

I have given up ever sleeping again and decide that flying around in the cool summer air might help clear my mind. I find my broom and head toward the balcony. The summer breeze stings on my damp face but I do not mind; anything is better than seeing my nightmares. I mount my broom and take off into the dark nothingness.

After flying two entire circles around the enormous castle I look at my watch: 1:15. When a certain thought enters my mind I decide to go back to the common room to collect something. Once I've gathered the object I mount the broom again and head to one of the highest windows. I softly knock on the window and wait for a response. After ten minutes of inactivity I decide to knock again. This time my knock is answered.

Lynn opens the window and greats me with a sleepy expression.

"Happy birthday!" I whisper, as I do not wish to wake up any other Gryffindors. Lynn smiles sheepishly and I lean in for a kiss.

"Do you want to know what I got you?" I ask and immediately Lynn is awake. "Come on board!" I say and she walks away to get her cloak. She slides onto the back of my broom and together we fly off.

I land next to our cherry tree and wait before she has dismounted the broom before sliding off myself. She sits down and looks up at me like child. As I reach for the item in my pocket I sit down next to her and wrap my free arm around her shoulders. I hand the golden egg to her with a big grin on my face.

"Is this the egg you collected from the dragon?" she asks.

"You're the only reason I joined the tournament so I want you to have it. Open it," I say and she does as I tell her. The egg does not make the high-pitched screech anymore; instead it plays a soft lullaby. She reaches for the object lying inside the egg and places it on the palm of her hand: it's a necklace with a badger and lion charm.

"Like it?" I ask and she looks up from her gaze.

"It's beautiful Ced," she whispers as she wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me.

"Here let me put it on," I suggest and I place the locket around her neck.

"Thank you," she says as she plants her head on my shoulder.

"If you like this present, wait until I win this thing for you tomorrow!"

"Cedric, please be careful tomorrow. I have a feeling that the first two tasks were merely a warm up for something far more dangerous and I'm scared for you," I wrap my arms more tightly around her and lightly kiss the top of her head.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine."

We fly back to her room first and kiss goodnight before I fly back to mine. I sneak back to my dormitory and slide into my bed, where I fall asleep almost instantly.

* * *

"Happy Birthday, again!" I say as I walk into Lynn in the corridors. She looks as scared as I feel, but no one is allowed to know that. We walk hand in hand towards the quidditch field and I watch her eyes widen as she sees the gargantuan maze.

"Merlin," she whispers under her breath and I lightly squeeze her hand to tell her that everything is going to be okay.

I reluctantly let go of Lynn's hand and go to the 'champions' room' as she sits down next to Fred and George. Fleur is the only other champion and is pacing like mad.

"Hi," I murmur as I sit down on the nearest couch. _Focus_, I tell myself, _how hard can it be? Harder than battling a dragon and fighting against Grindylows. Fantastic. _

"That's my boy!" I hear a familiar voice shout and I look up from the floor that had been so fascinating moments earlier.

"DAD!" I exclaim as the plump man takes me into one of his bone crushing hugs. I can feel the heat rise to my cheeks as I see the other champions staring, but don't care.

"What are you doing here?" I ask as I gasp for air.

"I'm going to watch my boy win," he beams at me and I try to smile back.

"Welcome students!" I here Dumbledore's dominating voice roar through the loud chattering of excited teenagers. "The final task awaits us and in no less than ten minutes our champions will stride to redeem what lies hidden in this maze. But do not be fooled, for this is no ordinary maze; this is an enchanted maze that is home to the most unlikely creatures. But I will not keep you waiting in suspense any longer, please give a round of applause for our brave champions!" I hear a cacophony of noises burst out from outside the room and unwillingly stand up and go outside.

I put on a fake smile and try to find Lynn in the blur of colors. _I love you,_ I think as I see her smiling back at me.

"Now! Since Mr. Diggory and Mr. Potter have tied first place, they will be the first to be emitted into the maze, followed by Mr. Krum and Ms. Delacour. Good luck!" I hear the cannon boom and quickly hug my father before entering the dark maze.

Behind me the bushes close as I walk forward and immediately the noise dies down. The eerie darkness creeps over my skin, causing the hairs on my arms to stand up straight. I shiver it off and try to focus. How the bloody hell did they expect me to find this thing? I decide to just start walking randomly. Turning right. Then left. Right again. Right. Right. Left. All of a sudden I hear the wind rustling through the branches and see the walls of the maze changing. _Fantastic!_

I see Krum walking by in front of me and decide to follow him for a while. His walk is different than usual; it looks as though he is floating around carelessly. Following him might not be a good idea after all. He goes right but I decide to take my own path. A few minutes later I hear a girl's scream. I run back and try to find the source but the walls have changed again.

"Fleur?" I shout, but I get no answer. Everything remains dead silent. A moment later I see red sparks flying up in the air and let out a sigh of relief; this way they'll be able to take her to the proper care she needs.

I walk on further as suddenly thick fog starts to form. In the distance I can see a dark silhouette of something that is lying on the floor. As I near the shadow I realize that it is a body: Lynn's dead body. A shot of pain streams through my veins as I drop and the floor and start sobbing. _This can not be real_, I think to myself, _this isn't real._

"Riddikulus!" I cry as the thought of boggarts enters my mind. But all the spell does is change the corpse into Georgia's body.

"No!" I cry, as my heart is ripped open. _I can't do this!_ I force myself to stand on shaking knees and step over the body. If I can't make the boggart go away I should ignore it. My trembling walk turns into a jog as I try to run away from my fears. _It wasn't real!_ I tell myself over and over again, yet the tears keep streaming down my face. I can't run anymore; the tears are making me choke on my breath.

I sit down on the floor and catch my breath. Trying to forget the images that were still so vivid in my mind. After my breathing has steadied and my tears have dried I force myself to stand again.

Suddenly I feel a sharp object sticking in my back. I look around and see Krum's foggy eyes staring back into mine. _So this is how the bastard plans to win? By killing the competition?_ I grab my own wand and am about to disarm him when Harry pulls me away and yells, "Stupify!" Krum falls to the ground and lies unconscious on the cold grass.

"He's been cursed," Harry pants; apparently he had been running to save me. I raise my wand and send red sparks up into the sky. I nodded to Harry in thanks and we split up again.

After moments of walking I see something blue glistening in the moonlight. I squint to look at the object better and realize I've found the cup. I run toward it but get caught off guard when a giant acromantula knocks me to the ground. _I was so close_! I fight against it and try to look for my wand but can't find it. I can see its fangs nearing me and scream. All of a sudden Harry appears and distracts the giant spider. I slide out from under it and try to find my wand, which is lying peacefully on the wet grass. I grasp it and yell, "stupify!" at the same time as Harry. The beast stops moving and falls t the ground. I let out a sigh of relief but don't linger for too long. _The cup! _

I sprint towards the cup. Close behind me I can see Harry racing me. I stop running and say, "You take it! You saved me, twice. So you take it!" Lynn would understand why I didn't win for her and he does deserve it more than I do.

"Together?" Harry suggests and I nod. We count down from three and grab the cup at the same time.

As if someone had wrapped a rope around my torso I am pulled into the air. Not long after, I feel myself being thrown onto the cold hard floor. I groan and wait until my head has stopped turning before I sit up and take in my surroundings. We're in a graveyard...

"Harry!" I laugh. "The cup was a portkey!" I don't know why I think this is so funny but I start laughing. Until I realize that the task is not done yet. "Where d'you 'spose we are?" I ask as I walk away from the cup. Harry shrugs. Abruptly Harry's hands shoot to his forehead as he screams in pain.

"Harry!" I yell.

"Get back to the cup!" he stammers through gasps of pain.

In the distance I see a short man walking out of a building carrying a baby in his hands. I'm about to ask for help when I hear a high, cold voice say, "Kill the spare!" I look around and try to make sense of what is happening, when I hear, "Avada Kedavra!"

It's funny how you can live an entire life without a single worry and then everything, every memory, every feeling, it just ends in one second. And after one single shot of pain I fall into the sleep I had been craving for, for weeks.

* * *

**Author's note: Hello my lovely readers, it's been far too long and I apologize for that. I hope you liked the chapter (actually, no- I hope it brought tears in your eyes!). After this chapter I will be uploading one chapter and an epilogue and then I will have finished my first ever fanfiction! As always, reviews are very much encouraged.**

**Lots of love,**

**LynnWeasley**


	21. Chapter 20: Empty

**Chapter 20: Empty**

"What's that Harry's lying on?" I ask as I grab George's arm. I know very well what it is, but allowing that thought into my mind would tear me apart. Finally Harry moves away from the object and I'm forced to confront my fears. My grip around George's arm tightens as I burst out into tears. I push my way through the shocked audience and fling my body onto his.

"Cedric! This isn't funny!" I whisper. I look at his face, hoping his eyes will open and he will burst out laughing but nothing happens; he remains immobile.

Amos places himself next to me and grips my shoulder.

"He went with pride," he says shakily and I realize that his death was my fault. He wanted to win for me, he even said so himself. The never-ending tears start streaming even faster.

"Cedric please," I plead. Why can't this be a sadistic joke? Why can't he still be alive? And why couldn't I have seen the good in him before he signed himself up for his death?

I feel a warm hand enclose around mine and am dragged into the castle. I pay no attention to my surroundings, after all nothing matters to me anymore. I am pulled up a few steps and placed onto a comfortable chair. Finally I force myself to look around and notice that I am in Dumbledore's office, together with Georgia and Amos.

"Please, wait here, I have some business to attend to. Feel free to take whatever you want," he says as he gestures to a table with drinks and food.

I do not allow myself to look at anyone and stare at the place where Dumbledore had been moments ago. I can not seem to stop crying but do not seem to want to anyway. I pull up my knees and hug them tightly, trying to fill up the empty place between my arms that Cedric had left behind.

"The culprit has not been caught but we have sent the next best thing to Askaban: the reason why your son was in this danger. You see, I will not lie to you. I put your son in danger and I do not think there are words to express how sorry I am for that. I will not deny that I am partially to blame, but I will try to defend myself nonetheless. There was a deatheater pretending to be Alastor Moody, he had fooled us all, and because of our foolishness Cedric is dead. But we can not blame ourselves for we were not the ones who had planned this and we were not the ones standing in that graveyard casting unforgivable curses," he pauses to look me in the eye for a second. "I am so very sorry for your loss, Cedric was an exceptionally bright boy who excelled at everything. You must know though that when students are on the Hogwarts grounds I can protect them, but once they leave, I have no power," I look up at Dumbledore and watch him blink away the moist that had formed in his own eyes. "Now I will let you grieve in peace."

Amos stands up and takes Georgie's hand in his. I watch them leave but stay seated. When they're gone I turn to Dumbledore.

"What can I do to bring him back?" I say through sobs. I can see tears well up in his eyes as he says, "My dear girl, I know how hard this is for you, but there is no spell that can bring people back from the dead. He is lost and can not be found," I burst out into another explosion of tears.

"Ms. Vogel," he says as I walk towards the door. "I know this may not be one of the things you would like to hear at this moment but, happy birthday."

As I'm walking to the common room I feel as though I am missing something. Something that was essential to live. Something that lived deep inside my heart and just vanished without any warning. I was so empty all those years I had ignored him and somehow being with him had caused for that emptiness to be filled up slightly, but now there is nothing. I'm nothing.

I say the password to the fat lady and without looking I walk towards the common room. Every step feels as though I have attached weights to my feet, but I keep pushing forward, determined to get to bed. With tremendous force I push open the door and crawl into my bed. Nothing matters, for I am nothing.

I close my eyes and try to stop the perpetual tears but nothing can stop them. Dumbledore's words keep repeating over and over again in my mind. _He is lost and can not be found_. _He is lost and. Lost. _

Suddenly I sit up straight and it is as though I have been reawaken from a terrible nightmare. _Where do all lost things go? _I say in my mind as I slide out of bed and run out of the dormitory. I am followed by many concerned eyes. Everyone is probably worried about my sanity, and with good reason.

I walk down the corridor three times thinking about Cedric and how I wish he would be here. A door appears and I eagerly open it with tremendous force.

"Cedric!" I call into the empty, dark room. No one answers. I drop to the floor. This is too much for me to handle. I lie down face forward on the aold floor crying for what seems like hours.

Finally I hear a small hoarse voice say, "Lynn?"

"Cedric!" I call out again, but still can not see him. _I need light, _I think and the room obeys. I realize that I'm not alone in the room of requirement; I am surrounded by hundreds of paintings, all of big, beautiful houses.

"Lynn!" I hear again and I look at the direction the voice is coming from.

There, in a painting of a big white house with a red roof I see Cedric standing in the beautiful garden. His face is soaked with tears yet I can tell he is happy to see me. I drop to my knees again and whisper, "I'm sorry! I'm so very sorry!"

"Why are you sorry?" he inquires, which makes me cry even more.

"I'm the reason you signed up for that bloody death trap! I'm so sorry Cedric!"

"If I could hold you in my arms one last time, I would. I would hold you so tight and repeatedly tell you that it is not your fault! And I would never let you go until you believed it!"

"Cedric! I can't do this! I can't live without you!"

"Yes you can Lynn. And you must! You must live on. You must live the future we had dreamed about, only without me. Please, promise me you'll never come here again. You must live on without me, yes I want you to miss me, but I do not want your life to be defined by my death,"

"I can't promise that! I have to see you again!"

"You'll only end up hurting both of us even more. And Lynn?"

"Yes?"

"Take care of Georgia? You've been like a sister to her up to now and she needs you,"

"I will, don't worry,"

"Now you must go because I'm afraid I won't be able to handle this much longer. Bye Lynn. I know I haven't ever officially told you this but, I love you, always have and always will."

"Goodbye Cedric, I love you too."

* * *

**Author's note: Hello my lovely readers, I was initially planning on uploading this chapter on Tuesday, but because of many reasons (Today is one of my best friends' birthday, it's also 15 years after the battle of Hogwarts and I got a lot of comments about Cedric's death) I decided to upload it today! The next chapter will be the epilogue (so the very last chapter) and it will take place during the Battle of Hogwarts.**

**So Happy Birthday Emmi! **

**Lots of Love,**

**LynnWeasley **


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